


Felldritch

by fallen_fell_frisk



Category: Underfell - Fandom, Undertale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Eldritch, F/M, Horror, Inspired By Undertale, Magees Alice inspiration, Mystery, Occult, Psychological Horror, fran bow inspiration, insane asylum
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2020-10-05 01:05:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20480429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallen_fell_frisk/pseuds/fallen_fell_frisk
Summary: Frisk ends up in the Underworld (Underground) and befriends the monsters due to her love and compassion. They refuse to let her sacrifice herself for their freedom and so she leaves with a promise to return. A promise one day to free them all. That, however, does not go according to plan.The humans capture her and declare her mentally unstable to which she is tossed into an asylum for nearly a decade. Her belief in her family never wavers until she escapes to find the Underworld very different from before. An occult of powerful monsters has taken over and her sanity is starting to slip. The question is... what is the true reality?A story from the perspective of Frisk and her struggles in trust and belief. Will she finally be reunited with her long lost monster family after nearly a decade or will she crumble to her own mental demons? Which is her truth? What decision ultimately will lead to her demise or her salvation?





	1. The Madhouse

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 1: The Madhouse }**

Chocolate colored walls surrounded her day in, day out, though chocolate was something one would associate with something pleasant. This room. Was not. All appearances led one to believe in the fastidious nature of this place. This containment. This prison of foul-smelling chemicals of an unknown substance. The scent of something burning followed by screams for mercy. No…they never heard that. No. This was not a place one would associate with something sweet. 

It was a facade. A simple show for those that did not know any better. A dull green leather sofa sat along the wall. The rivets bolting it down were just hidden by an ornate rug of ghastly reds and browns. Some unknown crimson stain that was never able to be washed out was just covered by a wooden table. A few books here and there, slightly worn, decorated its surface. They were books one would not make an effort to pick up.  _ The Nature of the Mind, An Essay on the Success of Electrostimulation _ ,  _ CareGiving, A Safe Haven _ . All books that might lure one into a false sense of security about this place. This madhouse of screaming lunatics and suffering patients. Ruttledge Asylum… The home for the Mentally Tortured and Disturbed. 

A large wooden desk, a full coat rack, a diploma hanging just over some gaudy floral cream-colored wallpaper. Giant books filled with fancy penmanship. A ledger and a quill. Meaningless. Small details that had no value or purpose other than to be eye candy. A pale face watched it all from above surrounded in a golden frame. 

“Frisk… are you even listening?” 

Chocolate eyes flecked with ruby stared down from that pale face. Its lips moved expressing a lack of thoughtfulness. A dull tone of acceptance, “I’m sorry Dr. Ruttledge. I will pay more attention.”

The voice that came from that pale face was soft, almost a whisper. One would question if they were truly there to begin with. A kind of lifelessness that illuminated the tribulations of the past, present, and future. The face that stared back, mahogany hair cut in places haphazardly sticking out, a bandage around a pale throat, eyebrows furrowed with despair. This was her… 

A young woman lay on a lounge staring up into the mirror that the nurses and doctor had placed there. They had claimed it was a means of self-reflection; to be able to see one's own progress and health improving. To her, however, it was a wraith. Every time she stared back at that girl she could see herself being whittled away. Every question asked left her more and more hollow. No one believed her and why should they? Her experience was something out of a fairytale. Something that only the mad would conjure up. 

“Frisk I am going to ask you once more and I want you to respond honestly. Do you understand?” 

Dr. W. D. Silias Ruttledge owned this madhouse. He was the presiding caregiver and psychologist to those that did not have violent tendencies. The rest were thrown in solitary beating their empty skulls against dirty white padding. Only hearing the voices of others through a bolted latch in the door. At night she would hear them pacing or talking to themselves. 

He had a suspicious voice. One that was soothing in understanding, but he didn’t take that tone with everyone. She always felt he was hiding something. Of course, he would just add paranoia to her list of ailments if she even exhibited such an accusation. His black hair was neatly combed where she could just see a streak or two of grey by the side of his skull. A crooked nose had a pair of golden spectacles perched lightly upon it. She noticed it was a habit of his to pull them off and clean them with this handkerchief when he was beginning to grow irritable. A faint scar ran from the bottom of his left eye and she could have sworn there was also one above his right. 

He was properly groomed, a high white starched collar resting below his chin. An ebony and cream waistcoat showed how successful he had been in his career. The finery of a medical professional. A lapel pin of a deer rested on the fabric standing out very minimally. It must have been his lineage she guessed just from his British accent.

A set of hazel eyes were kept focused on the clipboard he had resting on one leg dressed in black slacks. 

“Yes sir, I understand.” 

He tapped the quill he was using to write against the inkwell gently, ready to write down any notes that may implicate her level of delusion. It was hopeless. “Frisk, can you explain to me how you got here?” He replied, moving in his chair to find a more comfortable position before reaching for his usual cup of tea and taking a sip. “I want a full and complete answer, no one-word responses today.” 

She just turned her attention back up at the doppelganger in the mirror, watching it speak but not feeling anything about what it was saying. It could have been a doll or a dead body for all she cared. That was how hollow she had become. Was there even a soul left within her? Her eyes fell closed before he even asked. It was a typical procedure. Every day it was, “Yes, Dr. Ruttledge. I promise I will answer completely and honestly.” Even answering fully wouldn’t put any emotion behind it. A soft sigh escaped her, “I was found wandering the woods late at night nearly seven years ago.”

He nodded his head, never once looking up at her, “Yes and why is it you have found yourself in our care?” His quill scribbled something down as she responded. 

“I was confused trying to remember what had happened to leave me there. Alone in the woods...” 

The writing stopped, soft scratching absent from crumpled parchment. “You were found exclaiming that you came from a world of monsters. That you needed to help and that you made a promise. A promise to free them from their underground prison.”

Frisk swallowed thickly, “Dr. Ruttledge please I-” He cut her off, listing off her supposed illness calmly. She didn’t want to hear it anymore. 

“You became hysterical and physically aggressive when you were found and brought here. You begged to be released. So that you could return to them. You continued to talk about these demons… skeletons, fish people, dragons, and goat beasts.” He removed his spectacles and set them down on his clipboard, folding his hands in front of him. “Now tell me, is this due to some trauma or hallucination that you have had? Do you still believe in these fabrications?” 

Her eyes fluttered open to look off to the side. 

“Frisk? Did you not hear my question?” 

She took a breath but did not respond to the question. She could just hear that soft sound of metal folding upon metal. 

“I see. We shall skip that question for now. Now... tell me about these friends that you talk about. That you confide in.” 

She stared as he sat calmly looking down at her. He never seemed to move positions except for maybe switching the leg he crossed. His attention was back on his notes, but only for a second. “Let’s start with your ‘Best Friend’. You seem to talk about him quite a bit.” Frisk felt her body stiffen. Of course, he would ask about him. “Frisk, I want you to talk about him.” 

She didn’t want to. She never wanted to because she knew what would happen when she did. “He was one of the first monsters I met. He helped me and watched over me… protected me. We became close friends. He saved me. I would have had to sacrifice myself to save them all. They all told me that it wouldn’t be the same if I was gone. He begged me to leave my mission behind. Save myself.” 

Dr. Ruttledge just nodded his head, “Yes, as we have discussed before. I must ask if your analysis of this… situation is correct. To me, it sounds as though you possibly had feelings for this demon. Which concerns me greatly.” 

Frisk shook her head before bolting upright. “He is not a demon!” 

He raised a brow before shaking his head. “Is? As in the present tense. Oh, Frisk, I thought we had made progress today. We will continue tomorrow. Rest up, I will see you in the morning.” He rose from his chair, setting the clipboard down on his desk with a soft sigh and opening the door. His gaze was locked on her, just waiting for her to leave his office, or the most likely reason: waiting for the nurse to “escort” her out. 

Of course, she was upset. He just called her best friend a demon. He was nothing of the sort, even if he was skeletal in appearance. His brother was not that way either. As much as she wanted to play the game to get out of here she wasn’t going to agree to that. Sans and Pap. They were her friends and family, nothing would ever change that. Even as the nurse glared at her, grabbing her arm and leading her down the hall. 

She didn’t even bother to look around the room she was in. It was the room she had been in for nearly seven years. The soft clink of the lock reminded her that she was still a prisoner, regardless of her “ailments.” At least she had a small window to look out over the grounds. It was sad, really, to think that such a small thing was even worth mentioning. It was dark outside with the fire of the lanterns flickering back and forth.

Her hand slipped from the wooden frame only to make her way to the small bed. All she could think of was her bed back in Snowdin. How she would cuddle under those warm covers, snuggled up with the boys’ pet dog. Well, it was more like a wolf than a dog. Now she just laid there cuddling a plush she kept close to her. It was a rabbit. A white stuffed rabbit with little button eyes. She had painted them green one day with some of the paint from the rec room. A place she was apparently forbidden from for it would “worsen” her delusions. 

All she could do was close her eyes and try to rest, all while slipping into her memories of a better time. One that she wanted to return to. A place where she was loved and accepted. A place that withheld judgment. Home. She buried her face gently against the plush in her arms, her whole body shaking from the thoughts that clawed at her mind. It was at that moment she felt terribly alone and hopeless. 

Frisk could feel the tears slipping down her cheeks as she curled into a ball on top of the thin blankets. A few soft sobs caused her to choke on what little words she could get out, “I want to go home.” Would they even recognize her anymore? She was broken. A fragile thing putting up a smiling face in the jaws of adversity. 

That tightness was starting to constrict her chest before she let it out. Trails of tears poured from her eyes as she fell apart, slowly struggling to take in proper oxygen. This place was breaking her. If she just admitted that they didn’t exist maybe they would let her leave. Maybe she could live a normal life, but that wasn’t the one she wanted.

A few hours later and she was shaken awake only to be greeted by an old frowning face. The nurse. Frisk didn’t bother to remember her name. She was a crotchety old crone that treated the patients like dogs. The cup in her hand found its way into her cheek, squishing against her face and forcing her to take it from those leathery hands. It was her medicine. The kind that would make her sleepy. It was a feeling she hated; not being in control of herself properly. She took the pills and hid them under her tongue as the nurse walked away. Normally they checked to see if they were swallowed, but they had never caught her not taking them before. 

She spit them out before tossing them through the bars of the window. There were worse things here then not taking ones medication. Tortures she had been subjected to even though she was not supposed to. That was when she noticed a sliver of light coming from the hallway. The nurse had forgotten to shut the door. 

All that was running through her mind was that she could be free. She could escape this place. Adrenaline was coursing through her as her feet flew toward the crack in the metal. A promise of freedom and escape. There was no one in the hallway. 

She grabbed some of her clothing. The same ones that she had been found in and threw them on. The striped shirt that she wore in the Underworld for so long they had thrown away a long time ago. Now all she was left with was the patient clothing now hanging on her shoulders and a pair of boots and socks. She hated being stuck in that sterile smock, but she couldn’t waste any time. 

She grabbed what she found valuable from her room before creeping down the hallway, passing a security guard easily. The spare keys were kept in the office as she snagged one from the drawer before rushing toward the door. That soft click of the key being inserted into the lock caused her heart to jump, as she stumbled out into the night. Where was the mountain? She could just faintly make out the silhouette of Ebott from where she was. 

Frisk ran as hard and fast as she could, stumbling through the trees, climbing rocks, and doing everything in her power to reach the summit. She knew where she had fallen; it was all rushing back. A branch caught at her cheek, causing a thin line of crimson to bead from the wound.  _ Just a little bit more. _ 'Seven years ago I had been here,' she thought as she stared down into the open mouth of the mountain. So long ago. 

_ It didn’t matter… she was going home. _

A simple jump and she had flung herself into the darkness once more. Only this time she knew what awaited her. At least… she  _ thought _ she did…. 

_ _


	2. OFF

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk returns to the Underworld only to begin to feel a sense of dread. There is something in these Ruins that slinks within the shadows. They had once been desolate before. Now they were all but abandoned. Not even a spirit lay in wait as she once expected. Where was everyone? Her only conclusion was that they had moved on as her father had promised. 
> 
> Even the lesser monsters appear to be missing from their once ruined home, well, all but one...

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 2: OFF }**

  
  
Frisk’s eyes remained closed, feeling that familiar bed of flowers that had caught her fall. She never questioned why her body did not lay broken amongst the flora. A little sore, but that was all. How far was the fall? That detail didn’t matter. Instead, she rose from her place, eyes fluttering open to stare at the flood of light that encased her. Nothing had changed from before. She knew, however, that she would be alone in her trek to Snowdin. 

  
The bruises she sustained were nothing compared to the horrors of the place of her escape. They were almost non-existent. Her feet were a little sore, but that was from running at such a fast pace to get here. A soft sigh of relief passed her lips, followed by a small smile, “Welcome home Frisk,” she said softly, as if in a dream. She was finally free. Home. Safe. 

The Ruins were just a series of black stone walls mortared with ashen grey cement. It felt cold and uninviting as various vines weaved through the walls like veins. All leading to a dying heart. They threaded through cracks and alcoves, taking over what was left of what lay before. There seemed to not be a soul among the ruins. There may have been once, but all she could see was the twisting catacombs of puzzles and traps that she remembered. 

They stretched forever, all with varying shades of obsidian. Some were easy enough to solve and others were more trial and error. It was nice to see that the spike puzzle that Toriel had kindly escorted her through was still deactivated. This place felt like darkness and ice had formed. It was not warm before, but now as she made her way through empty hallways and barren rooms, she realized how stifling the air was. How her skin was bitten by the bitter cold. How the darkness never seemed to end, but she was almost there. 

There had to be at least one living soul around here, just one. She would settle for a Froggit or a Vegitoid. Anything to break the grave silence this place was suffocated by. Not a soul. Not a sound. It was unnerving. Even before there would have been the chatter of some of the shy monsters that lived in The Ruins. Now all she heard were her own footsteps eerily echoing through the halls one crunch at a time

_ … crunch ...crunch ...crunch… _

Stop. The memories came flooding back, painting over the dismal landscape she was now forcing herself through. A chill unlike anything she had ever felt in her life shot up her spine, freezing over her bones and skin. Her mind must have been playing tricks on her. That creepy feeling, as though she was being watched, was settling into her soul. In her mind's eye, she could almost see the scraggly shadow-limbs reaching for her. A corridor infested with pitch-black as sketchy eyes filled the darkness. 

She whirled around, expecting to see the horror of her imagination, but what lay beyond was simply the path which she had come from. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Her mind was messing with her, of course. Being in an asylum for over seven years would do that to a person. It would cause them to begin to question what was really going on around them. How does one even begin to justify all she had seen? All of it was completely outside the realm of anything normal. The very idea that monsters were real and trapped by some kind of ancient magic was difficult enough to believe. That she was their friend and part of their family even more so. 

Frisk shook her head from side to side in an effort to clear her mind as she continued forward. She was now close enough to reach the room where she first learned of monster candy and spider bake sales. Maybe she could get a donut from one of Muffet’s little stands. The spiders had been so helpful before. 

Thinking she may be able to get a spider-themed treat, she made her way toward the doorway she remembered. It was all so clear. Dr. Ruttledge was as crazy as his patients if such vivid memories were nothing more than flights of fantasy. Her breath could be seen as she huffed in annoyance just thinking about the man. Monsters were real. She was living proof as she stood there checking her surroundings. 

She had to wonder if any of the lesser monsters would remember her. Maybe they were no longer in The Ruins after she had gone through the entire Underworld. There was no reason they had to live cowering amongst the rubble any longer. In a life of fear and refuge. When she had made it to the end, her foster father, King Asgore, promised her that much. 

Her eyes scanned the area only to stop before the doorway. At first she thought it was just dark, but instead, she was greeted by a blockage of rubble. It must have happened long ago as the vines continued to wrap and invade whatever places they could. The large column of some unknown puzzle lay broken in pieces at her feet. 

_ But why did that matter? _

Dainty fingers brushed over the stone gingerly. What had happened? All she could think of was that these ruins were truly abandoned now unlike before, “I guess no spider bake sale for me…” Why was everything like this? Why did this place feel so cold and lifeless? The sooner she made it to Snowdin the better.

Just as her hand slipped from the stone a soft scraping of something caught her attention. It was growing closer, only to stop. At first, the noise just reverberated off the stone walls but then it became frantic. It grew in violent intensity before it once again fell silent. 

_ It was coming from one of the corners. _

Her only choice of action would be to run, but what was the point? The monsters here wouldn’t hurt her. Would they? Her voice slipped from her mouth in a whisper at first. Only growing in volume so that it could be heard properly, “Hello? Who's there?” Cautiously she removed herself from the wall, slipping into the adjacent hall. In one of the corners, she could just make out a small shape as it wiggled in the darkness.

Its body was scrunched against the ebony brick as if it was trying to hide in such an open space. The dull grey sheet of a body shone within the darkness, its long black feelers twitching periodically. Its wings were tucked away, fluttering only when she moved closer. 

It was a monster she remembered quite clearly. A whimsun. They had always been timid, shy little creatures that would make soft whimpering sounds; it was as if they thought you were going to kick them. The closer she drew to the creature the more things she noticed. The lower corner of its once shimmering wings was clawed. A feeler was broken, laying limply and causing it to be 'L' shaped. Parts of its back had been clawed at and were beginning to goop over. It looked like it was melting?

Its small body convulsed as if it were about to fall apart the moment it heard her voice. 

_ The poor thing... _

Once again she made her presence known in the most soothing voice she could muster, “Hello there. Are you alright?” She made no action to move closer as to not frighten the petrified monster. Sure, they had been scared before, but this felt like a whole new level of dread. A feeling that was slowly beginning to seep into her soul. Something was horribly off. 

She knew them for their soft whimpering, but this one was eerily silent save for the fingers it was now desperately digging into the brick, tearing at it like a feral animal. Her voice made the reaction all the worse as it's fervor grew. 

_ Scrape _

"I won't hurt you I promise." 

_ Scrape Scrape Scrape Scrape _

The gaunt limbs of the bug-like creature tore desperately at its corner, creating that horrible scraping sound once more. It was the kind of sound one would react to on a visceral level as it dug into your ears, gnawing at your skull. The kind that caused your stomach to nearly roil and ears to bleed. One might have compared it to digging your nails into the lid of a coffin. Once again, that feeling of dread bit into her soul. It slithered around her lungs, constricting what little breath she could muster. This was more than a feeling of dread.

Scrape Scrape Scrape Scrape Scrape

She reached for it, trying to calm it’s animalistic clawing, only for it to turn and stare at her. Every muscle in her body froze, causing shudders of pure horror to shake her small frame. The whimsun could no longer make those soft noises as its mouth was grotesquely stitched shut with ruby thread. She couldn’t keep her hand from shakily landing on her mouth and her garnet eyes swam with trepidation. It was a monstrous sight. 

Her legs quaked as she took shaky steps back using the walls as support. Her body slumped against it, just staring aghast. She could feel the rough brick against her pale flesh and forced her eyes to close. That scraping began again, clawing at her skull like someone using a spoon against the stone. Over and over and over again. It was _ maddening. _

Heart pounding and limbs shaking, she fled the place as quickly as she could. Toriel’s old home was not that far away from where she was. No time to think. No time to act. All she wanted to do was escape. 'I need to get out,’ she thought, running down the halls stumbling amidst broken columns and dust. She didn’t bother to take in her surroundings and she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. 

When she was a fair distance away from the horrifying scene that she had been subjected to, she paused, turning to look behind her. The darkness spilled from the corners, shrouding the hallways beyond in a sinister tarry cloak. Wait. It… it was slowly devouring where she had come from. Moving. Writhing. Squirming. A tarry goop like substance and its pace was increasing. 

_ What in stars…? _

From the ceilings it began to rain down in thick black globs, landing just in front of her. It seeped through the walls, forming clawed limbs and crimson eyes. It was everywhere. In a panic, she ran. Her chest was starting to burn with every labored breath; every passing moment her legs throbbed. All she could do was try to make it to Toriel's. It was but a feeling. She would be safe there. 

It tore through the silence like a knife. An ear-splitting, howling, squishing, hissing, thundering, crackling, rasping, guttural abomination of a shriek. She could picture a tongue lolling from a cursed mouth as it made chase. A creature, unlike anything she had ever encountered. A darkness willing to swallow her whole. It’s unholy screeches and crackled gibberish forced her legs into submission without abandon.

Everything was skewed. Even her vision was beginning to warp ruined doorways and random leaves. All she could hear was her heart thundering in her eardrums. She didn’t want it to catch her. The scenery passed by, conjuring demons from another realm. The realm of her mind. This creature chasing her made the room grow darker, forcing true monsters from their crypts. She had not been blessed with night vision. Shadowy hands tried to veil her eyes, creeping closer to blind her. Soon everything would go black.

Her tears streamed down her cheeks, flying into the air. Just before the veil of darkness fell she collapsed into the door of Toriel’s home, slamming it and hearing the wood splinter. She could barely feel her legs or her lungs. Everything was on fire as she dropped to the ground. The beast was silent until it’s mass beat against the frame screeching in ungodly rage. Her fatigued body rested against the door as her soft cries mixed with its masticated words. Surely it couldn’t speak, but she knew it was.

G͆l̾̑͑̍͑ͮ҉Ȅ͋҉aͬ̐n̷̍̅ ́ͯ̐ͮ͐͞fͩ͐̌ͯ̓̿ͪơ̏ ̸̄̂͛͛͐͆̚hͮĀ̀̏̋͞E͆̂͛̂t̵D͑̿̐

͊̓̄̾̉ͫͪ

ͧ̃͑O̵͂̋̄͆ͦuYͫ̚͟ ̎r̷Ũͬ̽̂̈ͦẼ̂r̃̋̉̌̇̚nͬͪ͝T

̔͗̈ͤ͗ͭ

͆͘Ē͋ͥ̇Ẽ̛͆ͥ͂š̽̎ͧ

̏̅̀̏̆͑̄̕

͆͛͑̄͊͂̅E̛͗̈́͊Rͦ̿̓̍̅͒̚A̅͒̆̽̑̽͢hͦ̿̐̑́

ͣ̇̑̈́̔̂

ͥͯ̋͑̈S̆K̋̽ͭe̷̒̓́̒a͂̾͌̀̔p̈͂͒̀̏͏

̡̄͂

̧̐̉̏͛́̔̚E͌̒̀iͧl̛ͣ̊̅̈́̈́̚V̷ͫͯͮ̚

It was right next to her ear, whispering its guttural broken tongue in huffing rasps, and then. It was gone. Frisk couldn’t even breathe as she lay there helpless with her back pressed against the frigid wood. Was she safe? All she wanted to do was sit here to calm her shaking. Her eyes fell to her shivering hands. She was unable to hold them still. The feeling of being watched never left her. When her eyes slid closed she saw that symbol once again in the darkness, appearing like mist. It glowed a deep crimson like that of freshly spilled blood. 

A giant. All-seeing. Eye.

Soft sobs added to her hyperventilating as her red orbs flew open. The vision was gone but the symbol was not. Shakily she rose to her feet, hearing her own struggles as her hand gripped the frame for support. A few moments of quiet breathing would calm her. In and out. In and out. It was all she could do to repeat those words over and over till she was able to see, to hear, to speak clearly. She had made it to Toriel's. The first step in her journey was over. It would not be long now before she would welcome that frosted air. Those seas of deep cherry wood.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead, only adding to her disheveled look. Her hands were still shaking from the whole ordeal as she cupped them within one another to step further into the room. It was just as she remembered it. Not a single speck of dust. Not a frame or carpet out of place. She couldn’t stay, she already knew that, but maybe in her old room, she would find something more suitable to wear.

Her hand reached for the golden knob, pushing the door open with a soft creak of its hinges. She rummaged through various drawers to find something more fitting. A simple black shirt and a pair of pants. She even found a white zip-up hoodie among her old things, and she was grateful that Toriel kept them. Her promise held that much value to them. She would return to help them, terrifying goop beasts aside. Where had that thing come from anyway, and why did it want her head?

She reveled in the white hoodie fluff for a moment before heading back into the hall. It was normal. Clean. Pretty and warm. Everything she remembered was here. Safe and in its proper place, but it was time to go. Soon she would truly be with her family. She could picture the scene as she strode toward the landing. A small smile painted on her lips feeling a warm spark within her soul. Home. That’s all she wanted. She wanted to be with them. 

The lights flickered suddenly, casting sinister dancing shadows on the walls stretching upward to consume the space. No. She did not want to be left alone in the dark, and she was so fatigued from before. She just could not seem to get a break as she made her way forward. The lights went out, leaving her in stifling darkness. Her only sense was hearing and she slid her hands over the walls to keep her bearings. 

The ringing rattled her brain and an explosion of wood and glass reached her ears. Another hissing howl tore through the silence, breaking everything in its path. At first, it was in front of her, and she could hear the wooden planks groan in protest under the creature's weight. A vase shattered as if it had been thrown violently against the wall. She did not know what was causing all of this. All she could do was listen. It mangled the room, tearing into carpets with sickening rips. 

A soft warm puff of air tickled her cheek. A breath. A huff. The rumble that reverberated from its chest rose and fell. She only prayed it wouldn’t cause her to lose the one sense she still had. Its lumbering form moved past her in the dark, but she could hear that disgusting squelch and dripping of saliva right beside her. Then the lights returned. Nothing was there. 

The once pristine home was ransacked and its walls were covered in claw marks. Shelves hung precariously from a single nail. Vases were shattered and strewn about the floor. Broken glass. Dead plants. This place was not pristine. It was in shambles. All the signs of decay infected the place. The vines had started to curl around the banister to the lower floor. The same one she was now making her way toward. That is until she looked up. 

The roof had caved in, exposing the rotting bones of the structure as it spilled more debris from high above. It landed on top of her now, dust gathering in her hair, but that was not what had her attention. No. It was the horrifying image that lay painted on the wall of the main foyer. The symbol in her vision. 

It dripped down the wall freshly painted in blood red. The monsters did not bleed, so where did it come from? The image of an eye with its pupil crossed out. It was framed by a half-circle with spires jutting out along the line. Just below the symbol were words she could just understand. Very simplistic depictions of a mouth, an eye, and an ear. The way it was sketchily painted made her shiver. 

_ No more. She had to leave this place.  _

Get out. 

Those were her thoughts but they did not come from her lips. A whispering, crackly, and breathy voice echoed it as she descended the steps. It only grew more frequent the closer she drew to the door. The door that represented her freedom now even more than before.

_ GET OUT _

The same unnerving symbol greeted her, sloppily painted where the Delta Rune used to rest in all its metallic glory. She remembered how beautiful and intricate metalwork was as it wove in and out of itself. It had been crafted with care. Now all that was left were the two empty recesses where it once proudly lay, replaced by something she knew nothing of. Had so much changed in less than a decade? Had it really been the amount of time she was told? 

_ GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT. _

Her hand rested on the door only to hear the voice again, but it began to pierce her ears as it rose in volume and intensity, forcing her to cover her ears. The ringing. The screaming. The distorted voices and whispers. It hurt. She felt as though her head would explode from the inside out, “No… stop… please.” A pathetic whimper followed by her cries filled the room. In a panic and frenzy, she clawed at the door forcing it open, “STOP! PLEASE STOP!”    
  


_ GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT.  _

She shoved her way through those deep purple double doors and just before they fell closed the screaming stopped. Only a soft whisper remained.    
  
** _*listen* _ **

It slammed shut behind her, sealing away what she felt the monsters had been trying to keep inside. The beast that had been stalking her. She leaned against the door panting and doubling over to regain her breath. All was silent. A palette of frosty blues, whites, and deep cherry spanned her vision. Snowdin Forest. Tired eyes fluttered closed as she panted, feeling that familiar burn of ice within her lungs. She could just smell the crisp evergreens, the fresh snow, and earth.

Snowdin was her hope. She placed a hand over her chest finally ready to once again continue her journey home. The soft crunch of snow under her shoes was inviting, and though she was not well dressed for the weather, it was the kind of cold to which she had once grown accustomed. She was sure Boss would warm her up with some of his cooking. A hot meal on a cold day. 

The trees felt neverending, stretching high above her. If one looked up it could have made them dizzy. She was just lost in the environment. The dark bark of the trees were such a stark contrast from the pure white of the snow that lay at their feet. Their strange carmine leaves were scattered here and there. It was truly a unique place. 

Her attention stayed on the winding path ahead. She knew Sans' sentry station would be up ahead, but There was no rest. A loud crack rang into the open air as a branch snapped nearby. Something was watching her and she didn’t have the energy to run. Her exhaustion was too great. The combination of running and mental terror after all the things she had seen was unbelievable. Grotesque. Horrifying. It was all wrong. So horribly wrong. 

It shook her soul to its core, and she ended up at a dead end. All she could do was stare up at the wooden barrier, placing her hands weakly on the wood. She could hear something scuffling toward her. Her heart once again beat harder than it should, nearly lodging in her throat. Helpless. That was how she felt as she turned to face the beast, eyes screwed shut and unable to keep the tears from her cheeks. 

Even back then she had never felt this level of fear. It had been hard, but never did she fear for her life at such an intensity. Her lips quivered as its shadow fell over her. She felt like a cornered animal. One that had no means to defend itself; an easy kill. “Please… I don’t know what happened here. Please…” A pathetic plea was choked by her soft cries. 

Its hand fell on her, pulling her from the wooden barrier she had been backed into. She could picture it tearing her throat out and ripping her to shreds. How her blood would stain the snow a deep red. What would be left of her would decorate the snow like a sick ornament. 

Her eyes reluctantly forced themselves open. The creature towered over her with a skeletal mouth gaping open showing offsets of sharp, flesh-eating teeth. Its eyes were lifeless black pits and two sets of bark-like antlers protruded from its skull. That same symbol she had seen on the door sat at the crest of its skull along with a pentagram etched into the bone. Its long billowing robes just fluttered in the wind and its face was framed by deep charcoal fluff. A single ruby thread appeared to glow where it had been used around the jaw and antlers. 

All she could do was force her eyes closed once more as her body grew cold. Its shadow was sucking all the warmth from her body as she shook her head. She was desperate. Her desire was to return, but now she may not even see them ever again. The tears that stained her cheeks left icy trails on her porcelain skin.  _ Please _ . Her lungs burned and she was unable to speak; it felt like acid had been poured down her throat to spread like poison throughout her body. 

The voice that broke the silence was not her own.    
  


  
  
** _“Frisk?” _ **


	3. Nightshade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to protect herself from the monster that had stalked her within Snowdin Forest, Frisk sees her life flash before her eyes. That is until the voice of an old friend snaps her from her morbid thoughts. His sudden appearance leaves emotions in the balance. It is nice to see a familiar face. 
> 
> At least, familiar enough...

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 3: Nightshade}**

How did the creature know her name? That tone of voice almost dripping with disbelief and laden with hope. Maybe it was desperation? Why would it take such a tone? She could still see it in the back of her mind; that animalistic skeletal mouth gaping open to devour her. Its blank sockets staring down at her, covered in occult symbols. _ Sacrifice _ . It was the only word she could associate with this broken, whispery-voiced beast.

  
  
She could have tried to run, but she knew from past experience that never worked out in her favor. Her strength was all she had. A hope that she would survive this. It was possible the creature knew of her even after seven years. These were pure nightmares. Ones that she wanted no part of. Her family. She wanted her family. Please, stars. She wanted her family. Sans was someone that she had not even come across. To make it so close, but never see him again, broke her heart. All this to fall short. 

  


** _“Frisk? That really you?” _ **

The deep, whispery, demonic voice that she had just heard had vanished, replaced by one that she thought she knew. It was still deep in tone, with a hint of gruffness to it, but nothing like before. What gave it away, however, was that hint of an accent. One that she had never once heard before she found herself in this strange otherworld of monsters and magic. That voice could belong to one person and one person only. 

Her eyes fluttered open, ready to view the origin of the voice. If it was the beast playing tricks on her, then she would most likely die. If it was who she so desperately wished it to be, she would live to see another day. Unless... he too had turned on her in all those years. She wasn’t ready, but her eyes fell on exactly who she prayed it would be.

That silhouette was enough to cause her heart to clench, just staring wide-eyed at the monster. It felt like her heart was in a vice, almost keeping her from breathing. She was really here. He was really there. Having fallen from pure fear of being mauled by the beast that once stood in her path, she lifted her hands, shaking from the emotions coursing through her.

Hours. Days. Years. How long had it truly been? How long had she endured relentless torture? They are not real. Your imagination fuels your flights of fancy. An imagination unhinged to the point that reality and fantasy were blurred. Monsters did not exist. Skeletons were a morbid reality of one's mortality. A twisted desire to choose _ death _ … rather than _ life _. Demons of another world plaguing her mind. 

> _ Frisk, we have gone over your case multiple times and it appears that you have been suffering from both visual and auditory delusions. Do you understand what I am saying? You are not well. Have you suffered any sort of unfortunate trauma that would bring these kinds of symptoms to occur? Monsters do not exist. They are simply flights of fantasy. _
> 
> _ You say that you are friends with them. That they are your family. That they make you happy. Is that correct? It is concerning that you feel so strongly about creatures derived from the demons of the deepest nightmares. We found your body badly injured. A few broken bones. You were fortunate nothing was too serious. Did you perhaps fall? Such injuries are minor if that is the case. _
> 
> _ We want to see you enter a calm mental state so you can once again return to society as you once were. Do you have any immediate family? Friends? Loved ones that we can attempt to contact to take you home when your sessions are over? …. _
> 
> _ I see. _
> 
> _ That is unfortunate. My condolences. In time perhaps you will remember. For now, we shall keep you in our care until we feel you are fit to leave. _ _ These monsters you speak so highly of; are they perhaps memories lost? _ _ Do you know how you came to think of them being real to you? _ _ You mentioned a skeleton before, is this perhaps a mental reaction to suppressed memories? _ _ Perhaps even trauma? _ _ One does not conjure demons for company unless they feel guilty about something in their past. _ _ Frisk, have you had suicidal thoughts. Ending your life? The reaper….. _
> 
>   
  

> 
> _ Frisk? _

** _Frisk? _ **

**** __  
**  
** **FRISK!?**

  


A gentle, trembling hand lifted toward him. All was silent at this moment. Her eyes stayed on his red ones. So bright and filled with something unplaceable. It was the same hue that haunted her every waking moment. A magical ruby that only she knew of. The only human. The only believer. The only thing she could see was him and her hand slowly reaching closer. If she could touch him, then she knew he was real. Everything. All those years could be washed away with just a single touch.

The bitter cold stung her pale cheeks as streams of nearly a decade of unshed tears slipped down her face. Every part of her was shaking from the strong emotions drowning her. She had never given up hope. Never stopped believing in herself. In them. She could feel herself falling apart. That shortness of breath, those overflowing tears; all signs that she was free. He stayed perfectly still, letting her process. 

Those quaking fingertips brushed over smooth bone, cold to the touch, yet familiar. His red eyes flickered for a moment as she ran her hand over his cheek as if memorizing it. Every little detail, marveling once again at how his face worked just as she had done before. Nothing of her own mind could conjure all these sights and feelings. Her hand fell to rest on the charcoal-colored fluff that framed his face, as it always had.

All her poor exhausted mind and body could do was lean into him. Into that warmth that only he could give her. Her eyes fell closed, burying her tearstained face into that warm fur. It smelled just like she remembered it. One she used to hate until she had almost forgotten it, ripped from her memory forcefully. A hint of burnt cedar. It almost had a sweet smell to it, like an incense. She would let herself have this. Let herself, just one time, rest and sink into the bliss of feeling safe. 

She was not crazy. 

It was not all in her mind. 

He was here.   
  
He was real. 

_ He was real. _

_ He was real. _

_ He was real. _

_ He was real. _

She knew how many times her mind looped that same set of words over and over. One might call such a practice insanity, but for her, it was how she came to secure her own subconscious. That sweet smell surrounded her as her face buried deeper to rest against his neck. Just like his cheek, it was cool but comforting. 

The soft sound of his clothing crinkling against her weight was all she could hear. The blinding white that surrounded them blanketed everything but the deep cherry trunks were the only thing that kept her from wanting to stay there, forever wrapped in his arms. He still had said nothing since he appeared, taking the nightmare from her. He took everything dark from her. Her horrible thoughts. That ferocious icy bite of cold upon her skin. The feeling that had nearly torn her soul in two ever since she left with that promise on her lips. All of it. He was her rest.

With her reminiscing and mind finally, at ease, she pulled away from him with a smile. Those tears had carved faint lines on her pale cheeks. The voice she finally spoke with sounded strained until she cleared her throat. She couldn’t tell if the look on his face was positive or negative. More shocked into a sense of bewilderment than anything else, “It’s me, Red. It’s me… Frisk.” She could feel herself nearly choking on the words, trying to prevent another fit of shaking sobs to leave her, “ I am back. I am back like I promised. I am home.” 

That shaky voice, so filled with relief and joy, cracked as she took a steadying breath. It was all she could do. She felt like her heart was going to burst. His hold on her only tightened as those skeletal claws brushed over her arm. His fingers scrapped gingerly over the skin before he pulled back to look at her, mirroring what she had done to him. Did he think she, too, was a _ figment _ ? A _ dream _ ? A _ delusion _ like everything else? 

Frozen at this moment, she watched that wide, sharp-toothed grin begin to pull up on his face. Red was not the scariest monster around, but he had certain frightening characteristics. His teeth, for one. They were very similar to that of a shark. The first time they had met his smile had not been as altered as it was now. His bottom set of teeth at the ends came up in large golden tusks. That was new.

She could feel his palm resting gently on her cheek, bringing her face to him so that her forehead rested against his own. Even with his look somewhat different, he was still the skeleton she remembered. She could see the happiness on his face as those sockets closed to hold her closer. They were close. Maybe closer than most friends but they had not seen each other in so long, “Frisk. I can’t believe it's really you. Everyone thought ya forgot 'bout us. I never gave up.” Just hearing those words from him squeezed at her soul. 

His hands were still on her face as she pulled back, “I never gave up fighting to get back, Red. They told me over and over that, you weren’t real. That you were just made up.” The comment caused him to burst out into laughter. Him? Not real? She had to be joking. Only when the laughter died down did he realize she wasn’t. The look on her face had him pulling her to him again, just resting her head on his shoulder. He knew just how much she loved that fluffy collar of his. His hand came to rub at her back, “Look, kitten. I know we just had our little reunion, but we shouldn't be out in the open like this. Come on, I’ll take ya to ma station.” 

They talked very little, only letting the soft crunch of snow fill the empty air. What was she supposed to say? One would think after nearly a decade she would have something to say to him. Just leaning against him with his arm wrapped around her was enough, “Red… I am sorry it has taken me so long to come back. It’s a burden on my heart when I think of how much time has passed.” Her head was hung as she stared at the flecks of rock and branches that moved passed as they continued forward. 

She noticed his gaze was on her from the corner of his socket, but that didn’t stop the smile on his face. That big toothy grin stretched from cheekbone to cheekbone, “Don’t worry bout it darlin. Yer here now right? Lot of things have changed since ya left, but don’t worry. Got an eye socket out for ya.” She was left with his signature wink before a soft chuckle bubbled up from his ribcage, “Always have. Always will.” 

All she could do in response was give him a lopsided smile of her own, “I guess first times don’t count huh?” It was no secret that he tried to kill her, but only once. It was out of pure instinct. When she came back, he was astounded, only tilting his head like a curious puppy. He had been kind of intimidating back then, but now all she saw underneath his chilling appearance was the loveable dork of a skeleton that she considered her best friend.

He gave her a look before waggling his eyebrow bones up and down, “What? The first time we met you knew I was ta die for~” She felt his arm around her pull her even closer as they walked. They had to be getting there soon, but she didn’t care. It was nice to talk to him. To joke and maybe do the joking- flirting they tended to do, “Uh huh. Surrrreeee. Well you did bone me pretty hard.~” She couldn’t keep a straight face after saying that. 

Neither could he apparently as he just smirked at her playfully, “Yer such a masochist.” The laughter just continued to increase between the two. It almost brought tears to her eyes, “Alright, alright, enough of the teasing.” His smirk was replaced by a goofy grin, “Aww, but I was just gettin started. Wanted ya to be beggin for more~” Her hand connected gently with the black sweater under his jacket unable to contain her giggles, “I said stop, you dork!” All he did was jokingly roll his eye lights and shrug with that huge smile, “Never.” 

She was holding her side even when they both came to a stop. All the laughter was hurting her sides and causing her eyes to begin to water. Her fingers brushed the tears away gingerly, “I almost forgot what it was like to laugh so hard. Thank you, Red.” A soft bump of her head caused her to open her eyes to look at him. He was resting his forehead against hers, “Anythin ta make you smile, kitten. I missed ya so much.”

It was unspoken, but she could almost see his soul under that black knit sweater, just humming in content. He missed her that much? His ruby eye lights stared deeply into her own. It was like he was looking straight into her soul, and she was sure if he had that ability he would have seen it do a little backflip. She had only ever seen him this happy once. That was a long time ago. The first time that they had been a family. It was like a fleeting dream now, “I thought about you every day. You kept me going Red. No matter what they said. I knew just holding onto our memories together. Our friendship, that I would be able to make it through.”

  
  
As she spoke his eye lights quivered, but only for a moment, before he pulled back and began rubbing her back gently, “We’re here, doll.” The stand that she remembered was not the one in front of her now. It looks so ominous, and that’s when she froze solid. The symbol that was practically branded into her mind stared down at her. The same one that oozed off the wall in Toriels leaving trails of blood in its wake. The eye.

Her heels dug into the snow-covered earth, keeping her from moving any closer. She buried herself into his side, shaking her head as the shivers ran up her spine. The last time she had seen that symbol, a terrifying beast had nearly devoured her. She could still picture those inky claws stretching forward to grab a hold of her, “R….Red...what….is that?” Brown eyes stared in horror, unable to tear themselves away.

She felt him move from beside her, blocking her view from the object of her horror. Those bony palms just rested on her cheeks, rubbing a gentle thumb just under her eye, “Darlin, what’s wrong? Ya don’t need ta be scared. I’m here with ya.” His sockets were furrowed in concern, trying to calm her and put her mind at ease. 

Frisk’s shaky finger pointed just behind him, “That symbols got ya all scared darlin? Nothin ta worry about. It’s painted on a lot of things round here. Nothin bad. I promise.” She knew that Red didn’t make promises he didn’t keep. The tension in her body eased away. Her hand fell to his shoulder, “It’s been haunting me ever since I got here. Red...I… found it painted against the stairwell at Toriel’s...in blood.” 

The look on his face could only be classified as one of confusion. His brow bones raised, he looked over his shoulder at the symbol before turning back to her. His thumb continued to make soft circles on her cheek. It was strangely calming, “Nah, darlin. First, monsters don’t bleed. Ya know that. Second, that things all over tha place, likea said before. Nothin's gonna hurt you while I’m here, sweetheart. Ok? Now, smile for me?” His claw-like fingers found themselves running through her hair. He knew it had a calming effect on her. 

She nodded as he held his hand out to her and lead her closer, “Sweetness, we gotta long discussion to have. I wanna know about all tha time ya been gone, and I’m sure you got questions fer me bout why everthin seems so different.” Well, he was the one person, or rather monster, in this entire world that knew her better than anyone. 

The sentry station that stood before her no longer looked as it once did. A detail she noted earlier before spotting that symbol that froze her mind. It almost looked like a traveling wagon. The kind you would find a gypsy to be using, “ This is your station? It looks nothing like I remember it, Red.” It left her scratching the back of her head in pure confusion. 

His chuckle tickled her ear as he brought her closer, “Wha? Ya don’t like it? See, tha cool thing is that it’s portable. Can take it anywhere round here. Don’t need ta stay in one place all tha time like before. Had my bro help with tha design.” He seemed proud of himself, with his eye sockets closed and that huge smile. It was cute. “No, I didn’t say that bonehead. It's just new. I am not used to it. I suppose that makes sense. Has the business been going well?” 

Frisk remembered the old station, and how he had tried to sell her what he called a "hot cat". It was just a cattail from Waterfall on a bun. The old memory brought a smile to her face. So different. The wagon was made of deep cherry wood, presumably the same wood that surrounded them. It was painted with black, varying shades of reds, and white. What struck her was how elaborately it was decorated. There were motifs of skeleton monsters and strange occult symbols that she did not recognize. 

The two windows in the front of the stand were ebony with the paint, just catching the light enough that it shined. That red symbol stared back at her. As if the depiction of the eye was something more. Something to remind her that she was not alone. The wheels had sunk a little in snow, casting an eerie red glow over the blanket of white.

Red had disappeared, presumably inside, as she turned to look around the area. It seemed much more ominous than she remembered it. The way the fog lingered at ankle level and swirled in almost tentacle-like wisps. She was grateful for the magical daylight of Snowdin, otherwise, it would have sent her teeth chattering; and not from the weather. The trees flanked either side of the path, almost like prison bars. No animals or environmental sounds sounded through the forest. That was one of the creepy things about Snowdin. It was deathly quiet. 

_** *CRACK*** _

The sound of wood colliding with itself hit her eardrums, causing her to spin in the direction of the noise. Her nerves were entirely shot, and her body tensed only to relax. It was just the wagons double windows hitting each other. Red had his hands resting on the counter, “Heh. Sorry, darlin. Didn mean ta scare ya! Kinda jumpy ain't ya?” His sockets were closed, chuckling at her from his place in the wagon, “why Dontcha come inside? Get nice and cozy and outa tha snow?” 

He disappeared just as she made her way to the side of what used to be his old sentry station. 

A ladder led up into the inner parts of the wagon, carved as if it was made of twisted tree trunks. The sight would have been ominous to most, but she found herself undisturbed as she climbed the steps into the wagon. 

It was cozy but not too small in her opinion. A small table rested against the right wall. In the back was a couch draped in some random colored fabrics of red and purple. When she glanced around, she noticed all these strange symbols, things hanging from the ceiling made of glass beads and feathers. It was so strange and definitely not something that she pinpointed Red to be into. 

She nearly bumped her head on what looked to be a series of strung up bones. Wasn’t that weird for him? Maybe. Where did he get them anyway? Monsters were entirely comprised of magic and dusted when damaged. That was a fact. Yet the decoration she was looking at hanging on the wall next to where Red had opened the double doors was what looked to be like the skull of Gyftrot. A kind of deer-like creature. 

At least it was warm. “Red, what is going on here? Why is everything so weirdly occult; and why do you have those teeth and-” He cut her off, leaning half out of the window with what looked to be a long match in his hand. He was trying to light some of the old lanterns and candles that sat on the outside of the wagon. The wax was slowly fusing into the wood as if they were meant to be that way. 

When he returned, he lit a few candles and incense sticks in the space before blowing out the small fire that was alight on his match. He set it down before plopping onto the couch in the back, motioning for her to join him, “Hold up there kitten, ya can’t just bombard me with questions like that, yeah? I’ll answer em all tha best I can. I got some of my own for ya. That fair?” She nodded as his hand lightly patted the spot next to him.

As she passed by the table, she realized a deck of cards with that all strange eye symbol was painted on the back of them. She had seen then before, tarot cards. Ones that were used to tell one's future, the past, and the present. Some of them were just helpful life choices that one could keep in the back of their mind on the day to day. Others were much more frightening, predicting love, life, and death. Her eyes scanned them before sitting next to him. 

It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket as she snuggled up against him. Her small shivers died down as handed her a teacup. The aroma was strange, but she took it with both hands. Its warmth felt comforting. Red was more the hot chocolate type, so it was odd for him to give her tea. It didn’t seem to matter too much as she brought the cup to her lips. A floral scent hit her nose as she closed her eyes, “Sweetness, why Dontcha just rest for a bit. We’ll talk when ya wake up.” 

Was she so tired before? Her vision started to blur, and she put a hand to her forehead. She felt dizzy as she leaned against him, and darkness fought for control. No, she didn’t want to fall asleep. Anything but that. She tried to tell him, but it crept into her vision. The teacup in her hands hit the floor, shattering into a million pieces. Her fingers gripped onto him, “Please I don’t...I don’t want to…” She could barely feel his hands on her cheeks as her vision of him slipped from her. Those ruby eyes faded as she was pulled into the darkness, “N...no, please…. I can’t…”

  
  
_ Just relax... _


	4. Blurr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WELCOME BACK~

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 4: Blurr }**

_ Just relax...  _

_ You have to relax  _

_ Stop fighting it… _

  
  


That sickly sweet smell permeated her senses as she fought to keep her consciousness afloat. A thick, hazy fog lingered within her mind, still drifting over her consciousness. The scent from before still remained like a miasma. Her vision was struggling to return. It was not a pleasant feeling, and she tried to will her only remaining sense to respond. Her efforts were in vain, and she focused on trying to listen to those around her. 

Unfortunately, she could barely make out the voices as close to her as they were. They were not voices that she was familiar with. What was the last thing that she remembered? A warm cozy wagon and an old friend. They were supposed to talk about all the things that had happened. Instead, she was pulled down into the darkness, passing out next to him after taking a sip of the floral and sweet-smelling tea he had offered her. 

_ The Tea _ . Did… did Red drug her tea? Why would he ever do such a thing? He was her best friend! Someone she put explicit trust in. He would never hurt her. Would he? Had the Underworld changed so much that he had lost faith in her? Did he want her dead now after not coming back for so long? Did he think she left them all to rot while she continued on to live a normal, happy and human life? 

All of these thoughts clawed at her mind, and she was trying to refute each one. He would never do anything like this. No. There had to be some kind of explanation. The more she dug into the resting place of her last conscious thoughts, the more tears pricked at her eyes. If he had lost faith in her. If he wanted her dead... then her heart would sink into a bottomless pit of despair. 

After all those years of trying to get back to them all, to release them from their prison and give them the lives they so desperately deserve, only to be betrayed. She had to push the thoughts away, bury them so they no longer stung. If she truly was his friend then she would believe he wouldn’t betray her like this. He had been so happy that she had returned. So filled with joy and hope. It was a look that she never wanted to see fade from his face. He deserved that much. So did his brother and many others. 

The voices had stopped talking, but at least now she could open her eyes dazedly, blinking quickly against the sudden onslaught of stimuli. Her retinas were painfully met with a blinding white light above her. It took a few tries for her eyes to adjust properly, and they burned at being forced to stare up at white walls. Her head rolled to the side, feeling a soft pillow cradling her skull. What was going on? 

Lethargically, her eyelids fluttered, and she tried to sit up. It was impossible. Her eyes darted frantically to the leather straps that now held her wrists, neck, and ankles hostage. Violently she struggled, she fought to be free from the belts subduing her. The ear grating noise of metal banging against metal and her soft, strained cries echoed in the small space. She could hardly breath from her panic as she forcefully tried to break free, “no...no….” 

Her lungs burned as she began to hyperventilate and her heart rate began to skyrocket. All she could do was look and listen. She was a prisoner. “No...no...no NO!” One scrape after the other hissed violently in her eardrums. The visceral noise of hearing metal scrapping incessantly against itself like a knife being sharpened stabbed her ears. 

** _Clang_ **

** _Scrape_ ** **** _  
_ **** _  
_ ** _Clang_ ** **** _  
_ **** _  
_ ** _Clang_ ** **** _  
_ ** _Clang_ ** ** _  
_ ** **** _Scrape_

  
  


A soft beeping noise grew in pace with her heart, said organ slamming against her chest, pressing into her rib cage painfully. It sounded like it was tied to her panic, only slowing when she began to calm. Eventually, it faded away altogether. 

Her exhaustion got the best of her, her eyes falling closed in defeat. The straps were far too tight; she was immobilized. Her struggles had caused the leather band at her neck to bite into the skin. It was probably going to scar; a permanent mark of madness. A strained cry left her as she ceased in her escape attempts. She was now helpless. Alone. Forgotten. 

She steadied her breathing, pushing the anxiety and panic to the furthest reaches of her mind in order to see what room she was in, “R….Red?” He was nowhere to be seen. 

Eventually, she found out why. The room she was in was a room that few ever saw the interior of. Or rather, no one remembered the interior. 

It was the room where you went to die.

The place you go to when you couldn’t be cured.  _ The surgical room. _

She wasn’t crazy! They knew that and yet just hours before she had been with her best friend. Her escape had set her free. She had been going home. Red was there. He was always there when she needed him the most. The creature that had bounded after her in a flash of twisted limbs and broken body parts had left her helpless. She did not know what had happened. It was going to kill her, probably rip out her organs with one massive goopy black claw. He had returned to bring her back that sense of peace she felt she had lost. The memory was vivid in her mind. It HAD happened. It had to have. 

The room she was in was painted from floor to ceiling in a sterile white that nearly blinded anyone that dare to look directly at it. Chipped tile spanned the floor and ran up the walls boxing her in. Unsettling reddish-brown stains could be seen littering the floor in streaks. It looked like someone had tried to clean up, but failed. There were no windows, the lack of natural light making it seem even more like a prison. 

A strange metal rod descended from the ceiling, branching off into two giant metal disks. Each one with bulbs placed in its circular recesses. A giant source of light. It was off now, thank the stars. That didn’t stop her from feeling like the thing hung over her ominously. A harbinger of what was to happen and a reminder of what had happened in this room.

Just to her right, there was a small white stand and upon that, a metal tray. She could lean over enough to see the contents of the pan, and she wished she hadn’t. They were wicked-looking objects, pristinely cleaned, glittering with a sinister shine. A scalpel, pinchers, tweezers, saws, hooks, syringes, and scissors. The instruments of lobotomy. A procedure that stripped you of your humanity and left you mindless. One that was a death sentence of the mind

Her eyes screwed shut, trying to block out a combination of eye-burning light and her own horrid thoughts. Small tears trickled out of her eyes, “Red…. Red… please…. Help me. Please.” She began to break down and those small tears turned into choked sobs. If they did this to her then she would be gone forever. They would take one of those wicked tools, crack her skull open, and drill the “demons” out of her mind forever. It was torture, but who cared about the mentally disturbed?

It could have been minutes of silence, or hours, it was hard to tell. All that could be heard was the faint dripping of something in the room. The noise was behind her. It caused her anxiety to grow with every passing drop. The pitter-patter of something. Her tortured mind conjured up horrifying images until the sound of a heavy metal door pulled her attention to the front of the room. 

Frisk raised her head as much as she could before figures in white aprons stepped inside. She could hear the loud click of the lock bolting in place. One such figure turned out to be Dr. Ruttledge, and the other two had white masks covering half their faces. The group stared down at her and her eyes continued to blur anything she was looking at. It was all under a veil of tears.

“It looks like she has awoken. Frisk? I need you to relax. Do you understand?” His green eyes bore into her own and unlike the other two, he was wearing the same outfit she had seen him in before her escape.

“You violently attacked the nurse as well as other staff in an attempt to leave this place. Do you remember?” 

He had that fake concerned look on his face. She hated it. She hated him

. 

“No… sir. I am not violent. I would never do such a thing.” 

He straightened his posture, moving out of her line of sight. When she could see him again, he had some clothing gripped in his hands. A simple white smock. The same one that she wore at the time of her supposed escape from this lunatic den. There was only one notable difference in the garment now being held out for her to examine. Blood. It’s once sterile white fibers had blood splatters all over it. 

Her first reaction to seeing the bloody mess was to check her own body. Surely the only way that there would be so much blood would be if she was injured. Her eyes darted to her stomach, her arms, her legs. Not a single indication of injury. Her eyes rose to meet those green ones...or were they some other color? Looking at him too long was something she did not enjoy. It always caused her skull to feel like it was being drilled into. A pain that began at the base of her skull. 

He shook his head forlornly, probably faking the emotion to save face. It was all he ever did. Lie. Manipulate. She had hated him the moment she laid eyes on him, which was odd. Frisk was not one to hate, so why did Dr. Ruttledge get all her scorn? It was a mystery. Either way, what he was implying ground on her already weak stomach. There was so much blood. That metallic scent hung over her even after he pulled it away.

“Frisk is this garment recognizable to you?” 

Reluctantly, she swallowed the ever-growing dryness in her throat. It had been raw almost as if someone had stuffed cotton down it. That sickly sweet taste lingered on her tongue as she spoke. As if it was a poison she wished she could spit at him. Her voice came out in a raspy hiss.

“It’s the clothing I wore yesterday...Doctor.” What was his obsession with asking her questions he already knew the answer to?!

Frisk could feel every muscle in her body shaking in small quivering spasms. The sight of blood caused her stomach to curl in on itself, guts twisting and knotting. She wanted it away from her. Even when it was out of her sight it was as if she could feel that sticky feeling on her palms. Ones painted ruby, dripping with evidence of the horrifying crime. The one that he insisted she had committed. 

How could someone do such a thing and have no memory of it? No. It wasn’t right. She knew who she was. Her soul would never be able to commit such a heinous act. The mere thought of ripping away the warmth of life from someone else caused her to lean over the side of the cot as much as she could. What little she had in her stomach ended up on the floor. 

Her entire body was rejecting everything around her. This was a nightmare.  _ The nightmare _ . It just had to be. Only when Dr. Ruttledge spoke up did those brownish-red eyes lock onto his own. 

“Frisk. You have been a quiet patient here. You have committed no crimes and you have not refused treatment. I am sure you understand these recent actions are not tolerated. We have to revoke your former privileges due to this incident. Do you understand?” He just stared down at her like a bug. An insect. Something disgusting. A toy. A  _ subject _ . 

Unable to handle the situation, she found herself feverish, hands shaking once more, breaking into a cold sweat. It dripped down her face and her neck. What a sight she was. This was pure torture. What he was talking about was solitary. A cruel exercise for those classified as dangerous and violent. That was not her. She strained at the restraints, causing her throat to become raw from her yelling. 

“I didn’t do it. I didn’t! I did not do anything! I would never hurt anyone!” 

A door swung open in front of her slamming into the opposite wall. The sound of metal forcefully smashing against tile echoed through the room. She had torn her eyes away from Dr. Ruttledge staring at the mass of bodies that flooded the room. There were three on each side and one at the foot of her cot. They were here to take her away. Just as they grabbed a hold of her resting place she heard his voice. Barely able to pick up on it as it was no louder than a whisper. 

“We shall see. In due time.” 

Craning her neck to look at him she thought she caught a glimpse of a smirk pulling up on his face. 

The staff carted her out of the room and down the hall. It’s black and white checkered flooring zipped past her line of sight. They clearly did not want to be stuck with her for any longer than they had to, and they were far from gentle in their procedure. One of the larger ones, she didn’t bother to look at him much, pinned her arm down. She was already strapped down, what could she possibly do? 

She could barely register just where they were taking her as miscellaneous sounds of metal screeching on the tile floor invaded her mind. The shuffling of feet passing by. A door slamming on the opposite end of the hall and whispers all around her. It was a display. A way to show off the new mind plagued by madness finally coming to rest in a place that she could no longer do any harm. Her eyes fell closed in defeat just picturing the smiling faces of her family. Red’s had changed but only to the details, she could remember. This all had to be some sort of horrible nightmare. It just had to be. 

Her eyes eased open when the rolling stopped. She didn’t even bother to look at the door she could hear groaning in protest as the metal hinges scraped against each other. The faceless staff members that had carted her off began to rip off the binds. She was finally going to be free of the hides digging into her slender wrists. Their raw pink bloody flesh stood out amongst her pale skin. 

It stung as the binds were practically torn from her, taking what intact flesh was there with it. No relief. They roughly grasped her shoulders hoisting her off the rolling cot and onto her feet. As soon as her feet touched the tile floor her whole body shuddered. It felt like needles had been forcefully pressed into the skin. A sharp prickly sensation that crept its way up her legs as she stood in front of the door to her new level of incarceration. 

_ Solitary.  _

This was the place she had only heard about. It drove sane individuals mad, forcing them to seek company within their own minds. If she truly was speaking to figments of her own subconscious how would solitary make it any better? All she had to do was get through this horror show. If she was on her best behavior maybe she would be able to survive this in one piece. Her mental stability had to stay intact. She was determined enough, she could do it.

Frisk would not allow them to break her spirit. 

They forced her into a room far smaller than the one she had previously. The floor was like stepping onto a mattress with a light spring in it. In fact, the entire room was covered from floor to ceiling in the same cotton padding. A way to prevent her from doing any physical damage to herself. The lighting was far warmer, but due to no windows, there was less of it. It looked like someone with long, vicious nails had torn into the soft plush surfaces littered the walls and floor. Another sign of someone's previous insanity were the charcoal tally marks that started uniform only to end in disturbing disarray. 

Frisk’s nearly broken body was shoved to her knees, sinking into the floor as they left her alone, sliding the heavy metal bolt into place. It was no different than a jail cell; only she had committed no crimes to end up here. All she could do was slink to the corner where a pillow and a blanket lay on the floor. This was all she had now. Instead of fighting the urge to rest, she let it take her, pulling her away from all that had happened. This nightmare would soon end. It would. She had to keep faith in that. 

  
  
  


_ For now, it was time to rest... _

  
  
  


_ Just rest…  _

_ And let all those horrible nightmares melt away _

  
  


_ Into nothingness… _

  
  


_ And awaken to a real place _

  
  


_ In the arms of a friend…. _

  
  


_ Warm and safe _

  
  


_ Nothing to worry about _

  
  
  


_ Just _

  
  
  


_ Rest _


	5. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk has a sweet dream that keeps her going through the mental jungle gym she finds herself only for reality to hit her. A "new" doctor has been appointed as her primary physician and she had been put in his care. Only time will tell if this new doctor will give her hope or dash what little she has left.

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 5: Nightmare }**

Sleep was never easy. Especially after everything that she had been through. There she was drifting into blackness wishing that horrible scene from her mind. The pain she felt radiating through her entire soul when she ended up back in this nightmarish prison consumed her. The sanctity of the mind was her only respite and even then the demons clawed their way through the cracks. Those white walls haunting every corner of her subconscious. Anywhere but the place she found herself was the only solace she had. Away from the asylum or the twisted world she had fought her way desperately to get back to. 

It was bittersweet because she knew this place was a fabrication of her mind. One that could be ripped away from her by the harsh claws of reality. She wished she could stay here forever, wrapped in the warmth of the sun just under the shade of an old tree. The same kind that she remembered in the depths of The Ruins. 

_ The Ruins… _

A winding series of catacombs and traps. Where she had her first encounter with a living breathing monster. One that she called brother. The simple thought of him caused her heart to ache. He would always be in her memory and his sacrifice even more so. That place felt so empty now. The changes were not even visual as much as they were tactile. The very air sucked the life from anyone entering. Her mind lingered on the beast she encountered causing a visceral shiver to race along her spine. _ What a monstrosity _. 

She let her eyes fall closed and laid back against the lush grasses that caressed her body. The sweet smell of wild grass tickled her nose. An image of the terror she had witnessed was shoved forcefully to the back of her mind, locked away in its deep pit. All that remained was that warm summers day. Sure, this wasn’t a normal scene. It’s not how she had grown up but the desire to have something similar was ever-present in her mind. It was her sanctuary. 

Time had no hold here as she rolled to her side only for her leg to brush something cool and hard. At first, she had no idea what it could be but as her eyes fluttered open, realization painted her pale cheeks deep red. She quickly retreated. Those blue eyes were wide in their sockets as she internally screamed. 

The item in question that she had non ceremoniously brushed against was a bone. A femur to be exact. Now to most that would be a little concerning. Why would you think of something so morbid in a mental sanctuary? It wasn’t the part of the skeleton that had her nearly fumbling back like a flustered schoolgirl, no, it was who the femur was attached to. No, that couldn’t be. If she was dreaming about him then all hope was lost. Maybe Dr. Ruttledge was right. Damn his soul… but _ right _?

His ruby eyes were locked on her, a goofy smile gracing his face. He may have even looked a little concerned that she would react to seeing him in such a shocking way. He was a monster, sure but that didn’t mean that he scared her. It was quite the opposite. He was laying there calmly stretching his arms above his head, “Darlin? What’s got ya all worked up?” 

He was exactly as she remembered him, mischievous smile, red eyes, and an air of flirtation that he always seemed to hide behind. All she could do was very gently shake her head at his question. At least he didn’t look so strange like she had encountered him years later _ ??? _“N...nothing.” Did he drug her before? She was not entirely sure but she wanted to trust him. He was her best friend after all, "I just didn't expect you to be here."

She just watched him as his demeanor shifted. That was when you knew he was being serious about something. He could go from flirty and teasing to serious at the snap of his skeletal fingers, "Where else would I be Sweetheart?" The look he gave her was one of curiosity as he rose to a sitting position to look her over, "Ya sure you’re alright?" She could just see those bony brows gently furrowed as he voiced his concern. 

She rubbed at her warm cheek gently, "I...I don't know. I am fine. You just surprised me is all." A gentle smile returned to her face, "It's really good to see you, Red. Not like how I saw you... _ before _." He didn't look too different but there was something about that world that sent a shiver racing down her spine.

His ruby eyes danced in his sockets as that lopsided grin returned to his face, showing off that set of sharp shark-like teeth in the process, "Yeah? I don’t feel any different..." A soft hum reverberated from his ribcage like that of a purr from a large cat before stretching some more, “Don’t be so surprised. Why don’tcha come back ta bed kitten?~"

Sharp fingers grazed the skin of her arm as he pulled her close to him where she was met with soft downy blankets and pillows, "Well you don't have those weird antler... branch things and..." She paused, _ bed? _ One moment she was laying in a lush open field and the next she was curled up in a nice cozy bed. A little fireplace crackled off in the corner of the room. Leave it to her imagination to conjure a romantic and quiet place. _ Wait _. 

She conceded, laying down next to him even though she kept a little space between them. His warm smile softened his already semi off-putting physical attributes. She wouldn’t lie that the first time she encountered him she nearly passed out. They were at odds then, "Weird antler things?" A chuckle bubbled up from his chest as his finger booped her adorably on the nose. His one eyebrow bone was cocked upward teasing her again, "Darlin ya been watchin too many a Boss' hunting shows." His laughs were so friendly and warm, familiar and inviting.

She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she playfully tried to nip at his teasing finger, "Yeah... I guess so. It was all occulty and spooky." A part of her wondered how he would react to her saying something like that. He was a skeleton. That was always classified under the spooky category for most. 

That mirthful toothy amused chuckle returned as he used his elbow to prop himself up to speak with her. It felt so… intimate. They had talked before alone just like this but the atmosphere felt different. His chuckles pulled her back to the moment, "Pfft, me occult and spooky? Kitten ya dream tha weirdest shit,” he replied softly sliding his other arm around her waist and pulling her against him for a gentle hug.

Normally she would make a comment about him being too handsy but this time she embraced, no pun intended, that feeling. Her eyes fluttered closed as she replied in a soft voice, "Dream... yeah... well you do have those scary shark teeth. Some people might think that was spooky." She wasn't expecting a hug from him. All of the horror she had gone through...It couldn't have been a dream. No, she knew it wasn’t. 

_ This was sadly the dream. _

She would have to face her cruel reality sometime soon but for now, she had Red by her side. The same one that she had left all those years ago. A promise still etched into her very soul that she would return to him. Even with these thoughts rattling around him her skull he continued to hold her gently, stroking her hair like she was something precious to him. Something that he had to protect. 

It was nice to feel this way, free from worry, "Red... you are being really cuddly." She looked up at him reddish-brown eyes filled with curiosity. Sure he had always kind of been possessive but not necessarily cuddly. It wasn't like his usual comforting arm or anything like that. It felt very different. A little more… _ personal _. 

The smile on his face faded leaving him rubbing at her arm gently and using his other hand to cradle her head gently, "Well ya obviously shook up from whateva dream ya had Sweetheart and yanno Boss is away. I promised him that I’d take care of ya. Like I always do."

It was such a sweet sentiment that her heart flipped within her rib cage causing her breath to hitch for just that small moment, “Red… can we just… stay like this?” Such a selfish thing for her to ask but through all her misfortune didn’t she deserve a little slice of peace? She just focused on his fingers through her hair as she let herself have this. 

That was when she realized that it was not necessarily the place that had made her feel so warm but rather the person next to her. This place was perfect for her because he was in it. Maybe she did truly did feel that way. Only time would tell... 

\------------- 

When she woke every part of her body ached as she forced her eyes to stare upward into the off- white plush blocks of her cell. At first, she blinked lazily almost as if she did not register where she was. When the realization hit her it shook her to her core, scrambling up from where she had passed out. No… no no no-no-no. _ PLEASE NO _. 

This wasn’t right. No, this was not right at all. Her eyes darted around her surroundings clawing her fingers at the fabric lining the walls. Her entire body shuddered uncontrollably, hands shaking as she wrapped them around herself. She dug her fingers into the clothing she had been given as if she was trying to pierce the skin. The pain was the only thing she ** _knew_ ** was real. 

Upon quaking legs she collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the bottom of the massive metal door to her prison. She only blinked when necessary as tears formed in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks and plummeting to the cushions below. She was supposed to be back with Red. She didn’t care what he looked like. She was supposed to be with him in that little wagon...NOT HERE. 

She couldn’t quell her shivering almost as if she wanted her body to fall apart on its own. Why was this so cruel? Why couldn’t she be happy? Why couldn’t she be in that cozy bed by the fire with someone she cared about? A part of her was sad, hopeless, and crushed. The other part was angry, frustrated, and determined. 

That’s when her physical distress ended with a slow shuddering breath. She had to stay strong. He would tell her that as his voice drifted through her mind. Just seeing that confident smile in the back of her memory was enough for her to get to her feet and kick her panic to the floor. It would accomplish nothing. If she wanted to be happy. She would have to carve that path for herself. Her first step was to get out of here. _ Get out _.

The room was not notably interesting in any way though searching the confines of it would prove useful at least. A singular red crayon had wedged itself between the floor and wall. If she was going to be stuck here then she would not let herself lose track of time like she had so many times before. 

Her hands gripped the crayon pulling it free easily. One mark would signify every day she was trapped in this place. As much as she did not want to give in to having to count the passage of time she didn’t want to lose herself. There was no natural light so how could she tell. All she could do was count her interactions. As much as she hated this place it ran like a machine. Always on time. 

She could feel the soft fabric of her cell wall meeting with the roughness of the crayon. One simple mark. The mark glared at her from the dingy walls before she hid the crayon away. In silence, she waited for someone to retrieve her. It would be the doctor no doubt. As much as she did not want to set eyes on him again it would be far better than just sitting and waiting. _ Alone _. 

Hours passed by, at least they felt like hours until she heard a noise from the door. A distinct click and it swung open. No guards, no nurses, no doctor. The hallway was so dimly lit that all she could see was a shadow lurking in the doorframe. It was a silhouette of someone. Someone that she didn’t remember. As far as her memory extended anyway. 

When a shiny black dress shoe stepped into the room Frisk’s face went pallid. The individual who just so happened to walk in was a doctor. His white coat was half-buttoned where she could just make out the hint of a red vest underneath. Her reaction, however, left her pressing herself into the cushioned wall behind her, eyes wide, and lips trembling unable to breathe. It wasn’t possible. It just… _ wasn’t _.

She did not like doctors that much was true but it was not the appearance of one that caused her to begin to panic, no, that would be far too normal for her. Her fingers tore into the wall as she tried to escape before all she could do was screw her eyes shut, raising her shaking hands to dig her nails into her scalp instead. He said nothing but she could feel her panic taking hold, stealing the breath from her lungs, forcing her to focus on the only thing that felt real. _ The pain _. 

Her entire body shuddered and quaked not able to even comprehend what was happening. A mind ravaged by confusion left her a mess. The panic that she felt when she awoke strapped down was nothing compared to this. This was proof that perhaps she was going mad. When he spoke she felt every nerve in her body freeze. No… no…no! No this was some kind of a trick. This couldn’t be happening! 

…

She could hear him gently close the door even though she refused to look at him. Now she wished it was Dr. Ruttledge at least she could loathe him silently as he told her how insane she was. This was torture of the worst kind. The kind that left you questioning everything in sight. Maybe she really was insane. Maybe that place truly was fake and all in her head. All the love she had was fake. All of it and-

Her panic grew to the point that it crippled her in every way, mentally, emotionally, and physically. That is until she heard someone talking to her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She didn’t want to open her eyes. Every fiber of her being was telling her to say no. To look away and ignore alas that was not what happened. 

Frisk’s eyes slowly opened to look up at who was trying to calm her down and when she did… she felt her heart squeeze in her chest. He was still trying to soothe her as she struggled to pull herself together. She could feel his hand rubbing soft circles on her back finally easing her from her panic. 

His hand pulled away from its gentle physical reassuring actions leaving her with chocolatey eyes glued on him. His hair was platinum blonde almost pure white and styled back, a few stray strands flipped out making the front look messier than it was. He had deep chocolatey eyes that were filled with concern for her and finally relief when she calmed. His smile was warm and understanding and it really wasn’t his fault that his appearance triggered an attack.

When he spoke, she tried not to slip back into another episode. It was a voice she was far too familiar with. A deep baritone though he failed to sound as gruff as what she was used to but the markers were there. It was enough to undo her when he addressed her. There was a kind of gentleness to it, “It’s alright. Just take deep breaths. Alright? You’re going to be fine Frisk. I’m sorry for triggering one of your attacks.” He left the unspoken “again” out of the apology. 

He was far younger than the asylums, or excuse me the “mental wellness clinic”, head physician. In fact, he was probably closer to her age which made her feel a little more relaxed. He even looked a little nervous as if her reaction was all his fault. Her voice squeaked softly, not surprising after her screaming session before and not using it afterward, “It’s not your… f...fault.” She tried to smile at him but she could feel her eyes threatening to spill over. The last thing she wanted was to make him feel bad for_ some reason, “Are you here to tell me I am crazy or whatever...because at this point…” _ She sighed softly not finishing her sentence, unspoken, _ I am starting to wonder if I am. _

She watched him silently as he pulled away to sit next to her. None of the staff ever did that, probably because they thought she was insane or dangerous. He was… nice to her, “Nah. I don’t think you are crazy. Maybe a little imaginative but not crazy. Just a sweet girl a little confused is all. I am here to help you, you know? I am not judging. I am just here to listen.” His hand came up to rub her head gingerly as he leaned back against the same wall she was resting against. 

Frisk looked up at him, pulling her legs against her chest, and resting her head on top of her pale scraped up knees, “So you are my new Doctor huh? Did the old doc give up on me or something? Call me a lost cause and toss my file at you?” She noticed his expression faltered. She had figured it out. At least that was what his expression told her, supposedly. 

He shook his head forcing him to run his fingers through his hair to keep the flyaway strands from getting in his face. The round blue-rimmed glasses he was wearing nearly fell off when he did, “You really think so? Actually I picked your file. I know how you feel about the doc. Between us, I don’t like him much either… tossing you in here. I am here to help you Frisk so if you want me to talk I’ll talk. If you want me to listen. I will be here for that. You do what you feel comfortable but I have to ask. You act as if we have never talked before...” That concerned expression once again returned to his face, “I’ve been your therapist for five years…. You… don’t remember?” 

Frisk just gently shook her head before staring off at the ground as she spoke, “I don’t know anymore… No, I do not remember having ever talked to you before. All I remember are my sessions with Dr. Ruttledge.” Her demeanor continued to darken, rubbing at her eyes gently with a wrapped wrist, “Forgive me.” 

Her “new” doctor sighed softly, “That concerns me, Frisk. That is a lot of time to lose. Nearly half a decade worth. Are you sure you don’t remember?”

Again she sat staring at nothing feeling as if someone had shelled out her soul and left this meat suit behind. Lost. Alone. Confused. Afraid. All fitting adjectives to exemplify the hopelessness that was festering inside her, “No sir.” 

She expected his tone to darken but it switched to something more light-hearted, “Am I really that horrible to look at? I mean I know this coat does nothing for me but completely erasing me from your mind. Ouch. You wound me.” His chuckles filled the room as he tried to look at offended as humanly possible. His hand was placed over his chest, mouth slightly open, and eyebrows furrowing upward.

After the display, he relaxed once more, Well… if that is the case let’s just talk about your friends again. Maybe if you want to talk about your best friend again? Or why sometimes I trigger some of the attacks you have had?” That smile was back as he rested his hands on the clipboard in his lap. The giant section that was labeled notes seemed to be blank. He really was just listening to her and trying to understand. 

The comment caused her cheeks to flush. She did not think that at all. In fact, if Red was human just like her this is exactly how she pictured him. Her mind would have kept him with those signature teeth and red eyes though. Humans could never have that so she guessed it made sense, “I never said anything like that...far… uh… far from that.” She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. 

For star's sake she just had a dream with Red in it and they were together…_ TOGETHER _. All snuggled up and cozy just enjoying each others warmth. If Red really was a version of her kind doctor then... That whole dream forced her porcelain cheeks to flare up once more. 

  
That small squeak of a voice returned after thinking carefully about her next choice in words, “You remind me of him. I guess. If he was human. Even your voice matches up. It makes me question everything. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember… I don’t want to.” 

What was the truth? What was a lie? Honestly a day ago she would have been so convicted in her answer but now she felt like she was wobbling. The monsters were real but so was this asylum. It was near impossible to determine which of the two. Each place was riddled with unbelievable facts and she couldn’t tell the fiction. One was a land of magic and monsters. The other was the cruel and harsh reality of the mundane world. 

He watched her in silence leaving the gears in her mind to continue to turn. That smile never wavered, never seemingly phased by anything she said. It was just a desire to understand her, to help her, “It’s ok Frisk. I know all about it. Actually kind of flattered.”

  
  
The response shocked her as her eyes shifted from the ground to his face, “It… doesn’t bother you?” It should have in her mind. It made her curl in on herself just a little at the thought, or rather what thoughts, apparently they were so jumbled that she barely heard him begin to talk again.

  
  
He moved from his place on the wall trying to look at her face, voice filled with sarcasm, “Why would it bother me? A cute girl being nice to a guy like me and being all flustered about it? Isn’t that what all self-respecting bachelor guys dream?” A soft chuckle followed the teasing comments he made before changing the subject by clearing his throat, “So...He’s the only one that you seem to constantly talk about... This Red… character. You really miss him. Don’t you?” His expression was sympathetic. 

  
She couldn’t help the small smile creeping on her face, “Yeah… what a catch I am…” He easily began to fluster her. It was like they had just met and he was saying stuff like that all of a sudden? “W...yo...you don’t mean that. You are just trying to make me feel better. Besides, I know you don’t believe me and yes… very much.” At least she felt a little better being able to talk to someone who didn’t just assume the worst of her. 

His hand moved to tilt her chin up a move that was very Red in nature, “I’m being honest. Like I said I don’t think you are crazy. I think you are trying to repress something traumatic that left you in the woods without your memory. You talk about this skeleton as your best friend and someone who wants to help you. I don’t really see a difference. I want to help you just as much. I know it’s hard on you.” 

Her smile faltered before shaking her head, “That just makes me sound creepy. That I took your likeness and put you into this world I made up… I…” Her pause was enough for her to eyes to shift off to the side, “Don’t really want to talk about it.”

  
  
He ran his fingers through his hair. It must have been a habit. It was so easy to mess up or take steps back. His voice was soft as he tried to make her comfortable again, “Not really. It’s natural to hold onto peoples, likenesses, places, and things. It is human nature. You have just arranged them… more… creatively. I remind you of him frequently. He could even be a version of me you have crafted.” 

His eyebrows started waggling up and down trying to get her to at least smile but maybe his antics were a little heavy-handed, “Skeleton or not I hope you retained my charm and charisma.~” A little egotistical joke would cheer her up again, right? 

It appeared to work as she burst into laughter, “Oh don’t worry it’s there.” Red to her was the quintessential flirt. As much as he put up this huge persona about him being the tough and dangerous guy he was softer than a marshmallow once you gained his trust. 

The room was quiet for a moment as their laughter filled the once stifling air, “Good. I don’t want you to miss out on the most important details. How about a little break from the questions and answers for a bit? Is there anything you want to tell me?” He rose from his place with her brushing off his pants, pausing when she gave him a warm smile, “Thank you.” Her voice was no longer raw but still gentle and soft. She genuinely appreciated his company.

  
  
He slipped his hand into his lab coat to pull a blue pen from one of the many pockets. The soft click seemed to keep his attention as he scribbled away on the clipboard she had seen earlier. That’s when he stopped, setting his pen down to look at her, “Huh? What for?”

  
  
She could feel her cheeks warming a little as she fiddled with her fingers gingerly, “For listening to me and being nice for a change. I don’t know if I believe everything you say but… you at least make me feel normal. As normal as I can be. It’s been really hard. I needed this.” His footsteps receded toward the door before letting her know that he would be back later. 

_ “You’re gonna be alright Sweetheart. I promise ya.” _

What? Her head snapped up just to see the door close behind him. What did he just say? She rubbed at her knees nervously as she tried to process. Her mind was playing tricks on her right? Surely he did not just say what he did. It was Red’s voice, accent, and tone there was no doubt in her mind. 

Her entire mind was unraveling. At first, she thought it would all be alright but now she was not so sure. She had a choice to make either accept this reality or question it to the fullest. There were things that just did not add up. Right now she had to survive in either situation. 

A while later she was given food, apparently, it was the evening. Not that she would be able to tell as she sat in this cushy cell. There was a bowl of soup just sitting in front of her, tomato maybe? It was bright red, being housed in a white bowl, with two dinner rolls resting on a small plate. It wasn’t five stars but at least it was something to eat. 

She had to admit that she was hungry, stomach growling occasionally as the scent of basil and wafted from the warm ceramic dish. Just the smell alone was enough to force her to pick up the spoon and dig in. When was the last time that she had anything to eat? She honestly could not remember.

It didn’t matter as she nearly drank straight from the bowl, famished. The soup vanished leaving her setting the empty bowl down with a soft clatter. The room started to spin gently as she fell back against her sleeping area. Just as her eyes fell closed she noticed a residue on the tray. It had a purple hint to it as she was pulled into darkness the words from before faintly playing in her memory. 

It was muffled at first but then began to grow…

  


And grow…

Louder…

And louder…

  


Until...

  


_ “SWEETHEART! Wake up…please… wake up!” _


	6. What in The World?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk finds herself torn between the world of the asylum and some kind of twisted Underworld from what she once knew. The question is which one is the real one? Every time she falls into unconsciousness she passes over the threshold of another. 
> 
> With her fight to return to those, she calls friends and family. Is she willing to live in a world where things have gone horribly wrong? What truly happened in her absence? 
> 
> And is that something she is willing to accept?

**Felldritch**

** {Chapter 6: What in The World!?}**

Frisk awoke as her heart painfully slammed against her chest, eyes flinging open to stare into panicked sockets. A skeletal face was leaning over her trying desperately to shake her to consciousness. She could feel her adrenaline racing within her veins with each lingering pump. _ She was back. _

Naturally when one wakes from a nightmare that is the usual response but it had been far more than just some shadows and spooks. No, it was the kind of fear that sank into the core of one's being, gripping with all its might to tear into the mind with gnarled, mangled claws. Its classification was sheer and utter panic.

She had been forced back to the asylum the moment she let herself slip away. The same happened for when she returned to the Underworld. Sleep was the gateway to either realm. Her thoughts tangled in her mind as she tried to sort this out all within milliseconds. All she could see was the growing relief plastered onto her best friend's skeletal face, “Red?” 

He didn’t realize the strength of what he had given her. It had been so long that he didn’t remember the differences between their human and monster biology. His intention had been to ease her into sleep since she had just passed through The Ruins. At least that is how she rationalized it. Sure enough he confirmed this when he leaned back to hold her tightly against his sweater-clad chest. 

She could feel his skeletal hands gingerly threading through her dingy hair. Her entire life for almost a decade was the true nightmare as she sank into his embrace listening to that distinct accent of his, “Darlin I’m so sorry. I...I didn’t mean ta scare ya. I just wanted ya ta rest yer head a bit. I shouldn’t have slipped that into tha tea. I’m… I'm so sorry.” 

Poor Red. The first time they had met he had pranked her and if she was honest he was definitely the insecure bullying type. He would follow her around with that teleportation ability of his and pop up like some kind of harassing jack in the box. He hurt her and enjoyed scaring her as much as he could. 

Then she met Boss and the behavior made sense. He was always hard on his little brother but capturing a human was a big deal. Red was just looking for approval and he thought that by being a jerk others would fear him and his brother would be proud. Of course, his perception of the lankier skeleton had been wrong. 

Eventually, she learned that they both had far more to them than their rough outer exteriors and how they practically adopted her at one point. They were and always would be her family. Now with all the pretenses lowered Red was more anxious than ever. He had gained his brother's approval a long time ago but now he was struggling in his skull to keep hers. 

A crimson sweat had started to bead up near his temporal bone and cheek. She didn’t want him to have a panic attack, “Red… Red shhh… it’s ok. I promise. I know you didn’t mean to you were just trying to help.” A warm smile graced her face as she rested in his arms, “You didn’t do anything wrong. I forgive you. I promise.”

She felt his grip loosen as if all the tension housed in his bones had just melted away. They both meant the world to each other and she was sure he was scared of her potential distrust. He did essentially drug her to get her to sleep and for most people that would have been a huge red flag. Miraculously her trust never wavered. He wasn’t the kind of guy to do anything as humans would. It was just a friend trying to help another.

Regardless of the situation, she was back, calming her thumping heart rate, scanning the little wagon that she remembered stepping into before. That strong scent of incense and herbs tickled her nose again as she let Red play with her hair, “I thought I lost ya. If I had done anythin ta hurt ya I wouldn’t be able ya forgive maself Doll. When ya didn wake up I panicked an… I just couldn lose ya. Ya just got back. We’ve been waitin fer so long fer ya. It’s a little… overwhelmin all tha emotions ya know? Even if things are… different then before.”

Frisk tilted her head and placed a calming hand on his cheekbone, “It’s alright. I already told you so. There is no need to panic. I am here right in front of you, safe and sound, ok?” She detected his minor trembling just beneath her fingers as she rubbed at the bone there. Not a word had to be uttered. She already knew how he felt as if it impacted her own soul.

Maybe she was an empath? Her internal mental ramblings didn’t matter right now. Her number one priority was to reassure him that there was nothing that he did that would ruin their relationship. She was too happy to see him to even consider that option. 

His warm breath grazed by her ear before she stared into those ruby eye lights. The panic that drowned them before eased as the cool bone pressed against her forehead lightly, “Heh. Guess I panicked fer nothin. Doll… what got ya so frightened? I could feel ya heart racin and ya looked like ya were in pain.” 

Her mind drifted to why he might inquire about it but she knew all too well why. He was fearful that she was keeping something from him. In the past maybe but now, never. She rested her hand gently over his own, playing with a magically connected finger bone as she did so. Her focus remained on that faint red glow that held his body together. 

How was she supposed to explain herself? A pain swelled within her as she forced herself to maintain her composure sorting through horrifying memories like one would a photo album. She wanted to mentally burn it but that proved to be an impossible task and so the images remained, branded into the back of her subconscious as a reminder that her mind lay in ruins.

She rested her head back down with a soft sigh, "I had a nightmare. Red… Do you know why I didn’t come back? Why it took me so long to return?” Her body pulled away from his embrace even as he held her gingerly. It was almost as if he was afraid he might hurt her even with an action so innocent. 

His face twisted into a mixture of confusion and sadness, “Ya promise ya would come back. It’s… all I've eva been thinkin of. What happened to ya?” She closed her eyes feeling bone brush against her forehead. When she was younger he did the action to help her fall asleep in a new and strange place. It was supposed to calm her cracking mind but alas it could not contain the worry wavering her voice. 

She had been through Hell. One of the worst kind. The kind that left you battered and broken with little to no recovery. Her eyes stung with the tears that threatened to spill down onto the colorful cushions she was laying under. When was the last time she was allowed to feel such strong emotion? How long had it truly been? 

Her determination far outweighed her fear. It was just who she was. His baritone voice tried to ease her flood of anguish as she forced the explanation from her mouth, “Red... I...I wanted to return immediately but…I…I was trapped in an asylum for the mentally unstable.” She nearly choked on the words as they fought to lock themselves on her tongue, “They thought I was crazy. I just... wanted so badly to get back home...to you....a....and everyone else. I never gave up hope. Red… I was so scared. What if they had been right? What would I have done?”

His reaction was not one that she would have expected, mouth tightening into a thin line, eye lights dimming into deep black sockets, and a darkness of unknown origin nearly draping the upper half of his face in shadow. That was not how light worked. She could feel his usual anxious or carefree aura forcefully snuffed out and replaced by an oppressive cold. 

Her eyes still remained doused in salty tears, blinking once to rid herself of the obstruction to her vision. This was who she had first met. No… this was far worse, _ “They hurt you...I swear that the moment we are free I shall make them all suffer. A most gruesome… end.” _

She swallowed thickly as her eyes remained locked on him, pushing through the gloom of an aura threatening to lock every muscle in her body. This wasn’t Red, even his voice was wrong. In an attempt to pull him back from the brink she placed a hand on his cheekbone, “R...Red...y…you’re scaring me.”

The moment her hand came in contact with the bone he tensed for only a moment before his carmine eyes flickered to life. That tight line parted revealing a small look at the sharp teeth within. He was back to normal, rapidly blinking his sockets as if he had not even realized what happened, “Frisk? I… gosh Darlin I’m sorry ta scare ya I didn’t mean ta. Ya alright? Just… got so mad thinkin about anyone that might hurtcha. Ya know? I’m sorry ya had ta go through all a that.”

His skeletal face pulled down in a frown, "Ya not crazy Sweetheart. Ya know I’m real and Boss is real...Dontcha?" At first, his expression was angry though not directed at her only morphing into a pitiful begging look within those bright eyes of his, “Ya know deep down I’m here for ya. Ya know that...right?” 

She could just loosen his grip enough for her to slip to his side. The two were now sitting next to each other, relaxing against the bed made from the alcove. Did she? He was right in front of her right? She could see him, hear him, touch him. Those were all signs that pointed to his being real. Why did her mind berate her into imagining the worse? "I know... I shouldn't doubt myself but... I... the doctor..." 

His skeletal brows knitted together as he listened intently. One of them twitched as if it was an involuntary reaction, "Yea? Go on what'd he say?” His mouth was pulled into a tight line again as he awaited her response patiently using his magic to wrap around a nearby teacup. It floated lazily into his hand as he took a drink, no doubt to keep him from going berserk if there was something she said that he wouldn’t like. 

He offered her a new cup of the herb blend herself but even as she held that warm porcelain in her hands she felt cold. Just thinking about that abysmal and hopeless place was difficult enough. Now she could confide in someone she trusted about all of it. The one she had gone great lengths to get back to. 

There was still the matter of the strange changes that had happened to the Underworld but he said he would discuss it with her. Right now was her time, “A...A lot of things. I honestly don’t remember ever being brought there. I just woke up with nurses and doctors staring down at me like I was an animal trapped in a cage. They said I had been wandering the woods in the dead of night… muttering to myself about monsters. Apparently I was half frozen due to the turning of the winter months.” 

Red sighed between sharp teeth, “Always thought ya would be ok once ya left but I keep forgettin how ya humans just wrote us off after being trapped down here fer so long. They would think yer crazy. Did ya tell em bout all a us?” 

Frisk nodded her head gently before sipping that sweet herbal blend of tea. He always enjoyed a specific flavor, cinnamon. It worked well with the cloves that had been infused in the drink. At least it soothed her enough to talk clearly, “I… I tried but that only made it worse for me. It’s not normal for a nearly young adult to claim that their best friend and family are skeletons and monsters. They all thought I had this morbid fascination with death… symbolically.” If she ever heard anyone say that her love for the brothers was due to her desire to take the reaper's hand then she would scream. 

At first, his wide grin was back, “Well Darlin I'm glad you were thinkin bout me and Boss even if they told ya all that garbage. Besides being ya bone friend is all I’ve strived for ya know? That doc can kiss ma non-existent ass. I wanna blame em but tha surface humans they don’t know any betta. Once we’re free we’ll go with ya and prove how sane ya are. How bout that?” 

The happiness faded from his face when she mentioned the second half of her explanation causing him to magically set their teacups down on the table and grab a hold of her hands, “Darlin… Frisk.” Uh oh, he was using her name instead of a nickname, “Ya can’t ever give up. Ya hear me, neva. I don’t fuckin care what this doc told ya. I ain’t gonna hurt ya neither is Boss. Yer family and we always protect our family. Death… what a racist asshole. Yeah, I’m a skeleton sure but I ain’t death. What’s with ya humans and pinin that dark shit on us huh?” 

She gently rubbed her thumb over the top of his phalanges. That was nearly everything she had spat back at her so-called doctor, “I don’t know Red. I’ve never seen you that way. I think it has something to do with the dark ages. The grim reaper is also a skeleton.” 

He just huffed before giving her a sheepish smile, “So yer sayin if I go around wearin a black cloak tha humans will freak out?” At least he was chuckling again. This was all such a heavy conversation, “Cause that’ll show em. Watch em scurry around like ants. That idea sounds like fun.” 

Ever the troublemaker it would seem, “I would say so. You are such a goof. That would terrify people and probably throw them in a mental ward.” She smiled before scratching at the back of her head sheepishly, “Thank you for cheering me up. It’s nice to be able to smile again, to be here with you again. I… Red there is something else…I would like to say”

Her now light-hearted demeanor seemed to mirror in his own expression, “Yeah? Well ya know I’m here ya listen. Always. What’s on yer mind?”

She smiled gingerly before looking at their joined hands, “Well… I know I said that the doctor called you death but… he said it in a specific way. I just didn’t know or understand. I was almost an adult when I ended up here. We celebrated my 18th birthday together and…” 

He had his head tilted to one side like a curious puppy dog. She could tell he was remembering fondly the little celebration they had but that was only a few days before she had left, “He said I was… flirting with death.” Her cheeks flushed a little. Did she have feelings for him? She was not entirely sure but she knew when he was around she felt so much different.

Red blinked his sockets before they fell to be half-lidded. That mischievous smirk of his returned making him look like his old self. You know minus the lower jaw and antlers, “Heh. Flirtin with me huh?~” 

Her cheeks were darkening in color as she nearly punched him in the shoulder, “Oh stop that look. Yes… he said that. It’s…just… I…” She heard a small chuckle bubble up from his rib cage, “Ya don’t need ta worry Sweetheart. Promise. No pressure from me. I couldn’t stop thinkin about ya. Everythin I’ve done is ta keep ya safe and now that yer here I don’t plan on leavin ya fer a minute. It ain’t like it used ta be.” 

Half of her was grateful he was so understanding but the other half was disappointed that he didn’t express his feelings one way or the other. What if she really did see him that way? Now was not the time, “R...right. You told me you were going to tell me what happened, why are The Ruins like that… and what about these?” She punctuated her sentence by gently tugging on the branch-like antlers coming up from under his hood.

He took her hand from the bark texture and patted it gently, “Like I said Sweetheart I'll Explain what I can to ya and uh… don’t pull on that it kinda hurts. Just…” His fingers came up to move a stray piece of hair away from her face, “Ya can’t blame yourself fer all of this, ok?” 

She nodded gently as she prepared to listen to his exposition, “Ya really changed all of us around here. We didn’t feel so hopeless no more but that was all-cause of what ya gave us. I know Boss and I pushed ya ta leave so it’s really our fault. After ya left King Asgore, yanno good o’le fluffy buns, felt he lost anotha kid. Guess that hopelessness came with em. We didn’t have any leadership. Monsters got desperate for some way to escape an… well… guess I got a little carried away too with wantin ta see ya so bad again.” 

It was a sweet sentiment, but she feared what would come next, “Boss an I knew ya would be back just didn know when. I guess I wasn’t scared so much anymore and just decided ta take a walk. I found maself just wanderin around lost in thought, but I came upon this old stone door. One that had been sealed up, covered in plants and trees. It was extraordinarily bizarre. It’s somethin I had neva seen before even afta livin down here ma whole life.” 

Frisk nodded occasionally just to show that she was engaged, “Well… Boss an I managed ta get tha door open and it wasn’t like anythin we have ever seen before Darlin. Like… anotha world er somethin. We were in a forest but tha trees were all above us. All this twisted and gnarled bark as we walked along this mirror below our feet. Things looked broken and shattered and everythin was just black an white. Cept tha red colors. That’s all there was, and obviously we were confused and lost, didn know how ta get back ta Waterfall.”

A broken world? One that was only in black and white? That sounded very unnerving, “Then we stopped at this giant tree. It wasn’t like anythin in Snowdin, ya know. Tha bark was a deep black and had red in it too. There were old runes carved inta tha wood and then a voice started talkin ta us. Started asking questions like what we wanted and stuff like that. It promised ta help tha Underworld if we freed it from that place. Give us power.” 

That did not sound good at all, “Red you didn’t.” Of course, he had. The things she had seen before were only further proof that this entity was free.

Red shook his head, “Nah. We didn free it but someone else musta.” He paused before getting up, leaving her sitting there as he searched for something. In one of the wooden drawers in the small space, he pulled a bundle of what looked like dried leaves. His crimson magic set the edge of it ablaze as a cloud of smoke began to fill the room. Once he was finished he set the object down and came back to her, “Gotta be careful they may be listenin. Burning a little sage will keep em from eavesdropping.” 

His voice was at a whisper as he gestured for her to give him her ear, “They worship that thing Darlin. A group a monsters. They managed ya take over for tha king. It’s all under tha Order now. That symbol ya saw. That’s their symbol. Been told humans are evil and should be killed. Keep callin ya our Angels of Death.” 

He pulled back to look at the shocked expression plastered to her face, “You… you don’t think I would ever…” 

Red placed his finger over her lips to silence her, “Course I don’t Doll but I gotta play tha part. It ain’t safe for ya. They already got tha otha souls. Yer tha last one just like before.” 

That crushing feeling began to return. Everyone wanted her to die. All the monsters she had come to love and consider her friends. Now they had been brainwashed to think the most horrible things imaginable. Red’s voice startled her as she tried to comprehend this new order, “Listen Darlin. They’ve all gone fanatical. Goin on bout hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. They think it’s tha only way to protect themselves against tha thing doin all of this. It’s why Boss and I wear blindfolds ta blend in but we ain’t actually blind. I hate wearin tha damn thing. Tha cult members could be anyone it’s why I gotta keep ya safe.” 

Frisk shook her head rapidly, “That Whimsun I saw… its eyes… they were stitched shut… Red that’s… mutilation. Why would anyone do something so… so sick?!” 

He smiled sadly, “I would say fear. This thing is powerful. Tha strongest thing I’ve eva seen. It ain’t human and it sure as Hell ain’t monster either. It’s been morphin tha Underworld fer years. Ya asked why I looked different… that’s why. Its magic is rooted here it affects us all and is persuasive. Boss and I almost agreed ta what it wanted ta do. A new reign of monsters on earth with untold power. Pretty damn temptin of a deal but… we stick ta tha shadows instead. I can’t keep ya from this Frisk. Ya might see some pretty fucked up stuff here but even if ya think they can’t see or hear ya… they can. That thing gives em soul sight. If they feel they have ta use it they will and then they’ll be able ta find ya. Our only advantage is that they don’t know yer here.”

This was so much to take in at one time. Evil cults, strange symbols, otherworldly prisons. It was like a story gone horribly wrong, “Red… is there any way.. to reverse this? To fix this?” 

His expression faltered, “I don’t think so Sweetheart. I may be more powerful now with what that thing gave all of us when it got set free but… this kinda magic changes ya. How ya look and think. Boss and I have been resisting it fer years. Tha others that tried… they… ain’t around no more. The weaker ones were sacrificed for unsealin that thing. It doesn’t even have a name. What’s worse is I don’t really know if we can call ourselves monsters no more.” 

She could feel her eyebrows furrowing, grip tightening on his hands, “Ya know… how we are all magically made up unlike ya humans we just dust an fade away.” He grabbed a wicked-looking knife using his magic and gripped the handle tightly as he pushed the blade against the bone of his forearm. Normally it would scrape it and that magical glow that held him together would dim.

To her horror the moment it sliced through far enough a deep ruby color began to rise to the surface and spillover. Red was… bleeding, “Oh my stars… Red what are you doing?!” She ripped the knife from his hand and flung it away from the pair as she tore a piece of her smock off to bind it and bandage the bone out of instinct. That did not prevent her hands from shaking. 

He placed his good hand over her shaking one, “ya see? We are more like ya now. Physical. Our magic is stronger than ever Sweetheart and now we can’t be dusted. If that cult gets ta tha surface. They will destroy all tha humans. It’ll be a bloodbath on both sides. As for tha antlers they are made of tha same looking wood I told ya before. It’s uh… weird don’t know how to explain it to ya and best if I don’t show ya what’s uh… going on.” He gestured to where his rib cage lay under that grey sweater he was wearing, “Just a mark of tha Beast I’m guessin. It doesn’t hurt but like ya said. I don’t look how ya remember me.”

The tone of his voice sounded sad. All of this information was truly horrific but Red was still Red, “I’m not scared of you Red. You may look different but you are still the same skeleton that’s always been there for me. I am not going to let that change how I feel about you or your brother.” 

That put a small smile on his face, “Thanks Darlin. I knew ya wouldn’t. You’ve always been so understandin. It’s what I love about cha. I know it ain’t a pretty picture down here but nothins gonna happen to ya. ok?” 

All she could do was nod before trying to divert the subject, “I… noticed that this is like your stand now. You said it’s nice since you can travel with it but what are you even selling. All I see are cards and bones. It’s a little… spooky.”

He started to chuckle before laughing, “Ah don’t worry Darlin it’s nothin bad. Just decided to cater ma business ta tha times. See since I got this power I can uh… well... see things. Had ma third eye opened? If ya wanna call it that. I do charms, readings, and make tea from tha herbs and fruits in Boss’ garden. He’s really gotten a green thumb after all this blew ova.” 

She just stared at him, tilting her head in curiosity. The tea thing made sense he had always enjoyed different blends but charms and readings? Wait did he mean, “You can see the future?!” 

There was that baritone laugh again that just seemed to make his smile grow even brighter than before, “Kinda. It’s a little more complicated than that but it helps keep peace of mind around here. Ya wanna give it a shot? No charge.” He punctuated the question with a flirty little wink. _ What a dork. _ Maybe that was why she found him so loveable.

Frisk didn’t quite know what to expect but she nodded, “I guess so. I would think knowing any aspect of the future would be dangerous. I just hope it’s… good”.

Red took her hand gently and flipped it over, “Well there’s a few things I can do for ya. Readin yer palms more like a road map ta good things in ya life. A card readin ain’t always so peachy. Ya don’t have ta do tha second one if ya don’t wanna.” 

Her eyes drifted to his hand holding her own before nodding once more, “We can try both. If that is something you really want to do.” The tips of his skeletal fingers traced over the lines on her palms slowly causing her to giggle, “oh stars that is ticklish.” She had a feeling he was doing that on purpose just to try to get her to smile. The funny thing was that it worked.   
  
He chuckled along with her as he held her right hand firmly, “Well ya humans mostly use this kinda stuff ta guide yer path in life. I can use it to match with yer soul so I can make a charm that might hide ya from tha soul sight ability. So let’s see.” 

She had never seen him so focused on something before. He still had that wide grin on his face but those ruby eyes were trained on every crease and crack of her palm, “Ya see all these larger lines? There are different ones and they all mean different stuff. Ones about how yer love life might be yanno stuff like that but bein a monster I can see tha magic runnin through yer body likea kind of network.” 

This was fascinating to her but she couldn’t contain her curiosity, “And umm what does it say about the love… stuff?” The look he gave her when she asked could only be described as mischievous knowing. Of course, he knew she was going to ask that, “I… I guess I am just a little curious.” 

The skeleton just waggled his eyebrow bones up and down before tracing a specific line, “Thought ya might ask after all tha stuff we’ve been talkin about. Ya wanna know how we might work out?~” The space erupted into a fit of laughter before he spoke, “Listen Doll these readins help me out but don’t take em too serious, ok? Just live yer life tha way you feel is best. Can’t get hung up about what might be but uh… looks like there is a strong connection in yer life that might falter a little but come back to ya. It really ain’t an exact science...trust me I would know.” 

Her hand slipped from his own as she rubbed the pad of her thumb over where he had touched. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of a bell right outside the window of the wagon. It startled her to the point that her head nearly collided with one of the charms that hung just over their heads. All the candles within the space sprang to lifecasting some rather eerie shadows. 

Red didn’t seem too shocked by it just moving to place his finger over his mouth signaling her to stay quiet. He rose from his seat and snatched his blindfold from where he had tossed the wretched thing earlier, tying it around his sockets. She knew why he wore it now but that didn’t change the pit feeling forming in her stomach. It made him look far more menacing then she remembered since she could just see that pinprick of ruby behind the layer of cloth. 

Even so, she remained as quiet and still as possible. The bell she found moments later signified that a customer was right outside as Red flew open the double-doored shutters from earlier, leaning against that little painted counter, “Heya. What can I do fer ya? Got just blends, ingredients, and charms taday. No readins. Sorry bout that.” Even with that aura he still maintained that cheerful grin. He really had changed from when they had first met. No longer was he afraid to be himself. 

She was going to do what he asked of her and remain completely silent but that did not mean that she would not be eavesdropping either. The customer had a softer voice. Not quite childish but it definitely sounded younger, “Hey… Red. I wanted to get something for my Ma. She is really sick. I...” Frisk could just make out a sniffle which she noticed caused Red’s face to downturn. Wasn’t she the only one that called him Red? Did he just go by the nickname now? It was a similar look to the one he had given her before, “She isn’t getting any better. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do…” 

Oh, that was heartbreaking she wasn’t sure she could listen anymore, “Ya don’t gotta worry bout it, Max. I’ll give ya all tha medicine I got free of charge just say hi ta ya mom for me.” A nearby cabinet swung open aglow with that bright red magic before a bottle or two floated to land on the counter. All she could see was a little mint green bunny-like paw take hold of them and pulling them away. 

_ Max. _ That was the name of the little bunny son of Rae the rabbit innkeeper in Snowdin, wasn’t it? She was sick? That sweet rabbit family that had taken care of her for a while when she first arrived was suffering. Red had given him the medicine for free and she nearly cried but His voice pulled her from her internal struggle, “Why don’t ya take a charm. It’ll make it better fer ya mom so it doesn’t affect her easily. He pulled a wooden charm from off the wall and dangled it over the counter before that minty paw snatched it, “Thanks Red. Ma will be better in no time.” 

Red rested his cheekbone against his open palm as he lazily leaned against the service window with a small grin, “Don’t get all mushy on me kid. Ya should get home ya know how dangerous it is out here.” The conversation ended with her skeletal friend pulling the doors shut with a click and returning to her side. 

He looked a little tired, “Red? Are you ok? You look really worn out.” Now it was her turn to be the good friend, “Just hate seein kids goin through shit. Ya know? His finger slipped that blindfold off and down his face to rest in the center of the large collar around his neck. 

She squeezed his shoulder gently in reassurance, “You did a good thing Red. I’m proud of you. You really have changed a lot and seem to be more compassionate and not afraid to show emotion. I know this… thing has taken over but you smile despite it. You really have been the person that kept me from falling into despair myself.” 

A bright red flush began to powder his cheekbones as he scratched at the back of his skull, “Ya...ya really think so. I’ve done some horrible things, Darlin. Guess I’ve been tryin ta atone for it all this time.” His ruby eyes flicked to look at her before standing up and rummaging through drawers and shelves.

When he found what he had been searching for he held it out to her. It was wooden in design shaped to look like an eye. Its twisted vine-like chain wrapped around various crystals and bones keeping them in place. Other beads made from glass and bone dangled off the eye but what was strange was how it glowed. What made up the pupil was nothing more than carved wood with an X engraved through it. Every indentation glowed a soft red. This was one of Red’s charms and though she wasn’t happy about the same occult imagery she was grateful for the protection. 

He said nothing as he gently slipped the trinket over her head so the talisman rested just below the hollow of her throat right over the bandages around her neck. She was glad he didn’t make any moves to ask her about it. The same went for the wrappings at her right wrist.

His bony hand lingered on her for a moment before pulling away, “There that should protect ya soul. All tha rest will see ya as a monster but I can’t promise it’ll work with everyone so be sure ta play it safe. Boss and I’ll be most likely with ya but just remember it’s still dangerous out there fer any of us.”

He leaned back into that nice cozy alcove before patting the spot next to him, “Mind if we just stay here a bit? Ya can ask me any questions ya got if ya wanna. Sure just explainin some stuff ain’t enough for ya. I know ya too well Sweetheart.” 

Yeah, that was true, he definitely had her pegged but they had known each other for a long time so that wasn’t too surprising. 

She climbed up to lay down next to him only able to get into a sitting position before she rubbed at her shoulders. They were ice cold. Even her breath had begun to solidify casting an ominous foggy vapor every time she took a breath. 

The once dancing flames within began to shiver and recede until the two were left in complete darkness. Only ruby eyes cast a light as a crackling entered her ears. It sounded like ice inching its way closer to the two. 

Snowdin was always cold but never like this. Her body felt frozen as if nothing on this earth could thaw it out. Her lungs stung with the ice crystals settling deep within her body before Red's bony hands pulled her to lay behind him instead of in front of him. 

Her fingers could hardly bend feeling frigid as she was bundled up in a nearby blanket, “R….R...Red wh...what i...i….is g..g...going….. o...on?” The poor girl's teeth chattered with every wavering word. If this continued she would most certainly freeze to death transforming into the remains of a morbid frozen corpse. 

He whispered for her to stay quiet but that was not the only whispering she had begun to hear. They spoke over the top of one another as if trying to assert one voice over the other. Some sounded young, others older, familiar. With her body frozen she was unable to react to the dragging noise just outside. 

Everything around her seemed to be consumed by the inky blackness even Reds eyes seemed to dim as she forced her eyes shut. This was not a normal cold but a spine chilling supernatural one instead. The same cold she felt when that monstrosity chased her to the exit of The Ruins. It crept its icy tendrils toward her soul threatening to shatter it as she helplessly lay there. 

The walls between them and the outside were sturdy but she could hear something scraping long gangly claws along the planks. It’s footsteps made disturbing thunking and squishing noises. That soft dripping noise followed by a chittering growl forced her to curl closer to Red.

Fear began growing inside her almost as if that wall did not exist in the first place, the creature's deathly breath frosted the nape of her neck when from the inky abyss those eyes appeared just as they had before. They were red and sketchy, animated erratically as the whispers only grew in volume. 

Then as if it hadn’t manifested at all...everything fell gravely silent. 

_ The creature was just gone? _

Yet that icy grip on her soul and body refused to break its hold.

_ Silence. _

_ It must have moved on. _

Or so they believed.

Without warning, shards of wood and dust splintered through the held tension as the window leading out to Reds little service counter flew across the wagon. It collided with some bottles smashing them to pieces and sprinkling their contents and debris onto the rug below. 

An eerie purple fog rolled over the floorboards illuminated by the only source of light, the now open window where blood-red moonbeams slipped inside. To her horror she realized it wasn’t a fog at all but the creature's accursed breath, sifting over the floorboards like a living being. She could hear voices drifting in and out, glowing specks cloaked by that thick miasma. Her heart nearly stopped seeing the smoky remains of lesser monsters, faces forever frozen in a petrified scream of agony. 

It took everything in her now quaking soul not to make a sound as she clasped her icy hand over her mouth. The cold bit into her skin, numbing it to the point she could no longer speak even if she wanted to. A silent scream. 

Red kept her hidden under anything he could but Frisk could still see it. A black split tongue that appeared to test the air within the wagon. It was like a tar, dripping with a black ooze that attached to its form as a grotesque skeletal maw came more into view. 

It could not even fit its mouth inside so how massive was this beast? Frisk only prayed that Red would keep her safe as she cowered like a stone statue under that thin pile of blankets and pillows. Her body had begun to convulse and contrary to her frozen limbs it was not due to the cold. 

The stench almost forced her to gag at how putrid it assaulted her nose. All the sights and smells of rotting and diseased flesh. It was a sensory overload of the worst kind. She held her breath as the beast's ghastly mouth receded from the opening as did the fog that it brought with its decaying form. The cold began to loosen its grip and the candles that once made the space a little more homey flickered to life. The creature was finally gone.

With her still bundled up Red didn’t even bother to get up instead using his magic to fix the damage as lazily as one could. His attention was on her as he pulled the cloth away from her face, “Ya ok Darlin?” 

Did he really just ask that? No, she wasn’t ok! Stars above! Her lips had nearly turned purple from it all, “I’m… f...freezing. R...Red….” 

She didn’t have to ask him twice as he bundled her up as much as he could, holding her close to him. Regardless of Red’s skeletal appearance he always held a magical warmth to him just like a human would, “I’m sorry Sweetheart. I’ll warm ya up. Just relax ok?” He rubbed at her shoulders trying to thaw her frigid body. 

Frisk curled into his warmth still shuddering from the cold and what she had just witnessed. That thing was similar but not the same as the horrifying abomination she had met before. This one had the ability to paralyze you with cold alone. All she did was try to get her body temperature up with his help, “R...Red what was that...that... th...thing?!”

He pulled back enough so he could look her in the eyes, golden lower teeth glinting in the little light the candles scattered around provided.

  
  


** _“Tha Beast.”_ **


End file.
